Shihai no Chikara
by S3eK
Summary: During an attack on Naruto's 14 birthday, Naruto unlocks powers that the Kyubi has only seen twice over his many years: the ability to use the Force. A NarutoXStarWars Crossover
1. Realization

**Greetings from the Shadows**.  
**This is my NarutoXStarWars Crossover. Hopefully it will be interesting for my readers. Now redone without Spacing Problems  
Enjoy the Fic  
**Naruto knelt on a beam, high above the streets and houses, watching the villagers run through the stormy night. His clothes melded seamlessly with the night, rain water running down the folds. Lightning flashed behind him, causing his silhouette to appear briefly, his black robes shimmered faintly before disappearing once more into the night sky.

_~Remember when you were attacked? Remember how you were?_

Naruto grimaced at the thought_._

_  
Yeah, I remember_... he thought as he leapt off the beam into the streets below.

Naruto was walking through the streets, avoiding the crowds like a plague. They always attacked with more ferocity on this day: the day of the Kyubi no Kitsune's defeat. The day of Naruto's birth, fourteen years ago.

Naruto darted across the street, trying to make it out of the light filled path to hide out of sight of the drunken villagers.

He had been working on his speed, but when someone is looking in that direction, no amount of speed will help you.

"There he is!" shouted one of the less drunk villagers. The others in the mob turned to see Naruto's blond hair flash through the light. "After him!"

_Ohh, shit!_ Though Naruto as he threw himself into a sprint, running as fast as he could. He ran through the alleys and streets, jumping over trash and other pieces of refuse, listening to the angry mob behind him crash through the alley.

_Okay, left, left, straight, right, straight, straight, right again... or is it left?_ Thought Naruto pausing at the T-split in an alley. He couldn't remember which way passed through Inu's patrol route and which led to a dead end.

_uhh... uhh... uhh... left!_ Thought Naruto as he heard the self-proclaimed avengers came closer and closer.

Naruto darted down the alley, jumping over the many garbage bins. He turned the corner to find...

A dead end.

_~Funny how that phrase is quite appropriate, wouldn't you say?~_

"Who said that?"

The only sounds of response were the crashes and bangs from the alley behind him. The villagers came around the corner to find Naruto staring back at them. They smiled as they looked past him, seeing the wall behind the blonde.

One villager chose this moment to hurl a sake bottle at Naruto with astounding accuracy, considering he was half drunk.

The bottle arced towards Naruto, aimed at his head. He thrust forward a hand to block the bottle, rather injure his hand instead of his head. For some reason he felt that something flowed through him, energizing his entire body.

The bottle immediately changed direction; flying at such a high speed the villager didn't even see the bottle until it shattered, hitting him right between the eyes.

He wavered for a second, trying in vain to regain his equilibrium, before passing out.

The other villagers looked from the unconscious villager to Naruto and back again.

Naruto looked at his hand for a moment before looking at the villagers, a smile forming on his face.  
He thrust both hands forward, focusing on the same feeling.

Some form of power flew through the air towards the villagers, scattering papers and other pieces of garbage before it. It threw the villagers into the air, sending them back the way they came.

Naruto looked at his hands once more. They seemed normal to him.

_~Of course they seem normal, you baka, they're your hands!~_

Naruto spun around, searching for the voice. The alley was empty; the only movement the fluttering papers tracing patterns through the air.

"Where are you?"

A flash of light exploded in his mind. Naruto stumbled back, falling to one knee, hand in front of his eyes.

The first thing he noticed was the water that was all around him.

He lowered his arms, looking around. Pipes and hallways were everywhere, twisting and turning as far as the eye could see.

"_Come,_" said the voice.

Naruto's head snapped up at the sound of the voice. He followed the echoes of the voice to one large antechamber. A gate separated the room in half, a piece of paper with the kanji for seal acting as a lock.

"Where are you?" asked Naruto, peering into the darkness behind the bars.

A man stepped out of the darkness, wearing a cloak so red it was almost black. His eyes were hidden in the shadows of his cowl, yet Naruto felt their weight.

"_I am here, within your mind,_" said the cloaked figure, gesturing around at the sewer like room.

"This is my mind?" asked Naruto.

"_Yes, this is your mind. The water is your unshed tears,_" said the figure.

Naruto stepped closer to the bars, the cloaked figure moving with him till they were nearly face to face, only the bars separating one from the other.

"What are you?" asked Naruto.

The cloaked figure threw back his hood, revealing black as night hair, yellow eyes set in a piercing face, and a smiling mouth.

"I am the Kyubi no Kitsune, Lord of Demons, Destroyer of Mountains and Creator of Tsunamis! Cower before my might!"

Naruto just stared at the demon lord. "Right… Why the hell are you in my mind?"

This statement brought the Kyubi up short. "Uhh… you remember what happened fourteen years ago?"

"Yeah, you attacked. But you're supposed to be dead. The Yondaime Hokage killed you," said Naruto, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"A human cannot defeat a demon king. Namikaze Minato only sealed me away into you," said Kyubi, feeling a wave of nostalgia sweep over him.

"So, you're the reason I get beat up all the time?" asked Naruto, face growing angry for a moment.

"Hey not my fault!" shouted Kyubi, his face growing angry as well. "Somebody wearing a Konoha hitai-ate and smelled like snakes attacked me and my family and ran like a coward. I merely followed him. I had to make sure he wouldn't attack my family again."

"Well, that's one for the history books, no?"

"Haha, funny little human… but anyways, we're not here to talk about me. We are here to talk about what you just did to those villagers. I've only met two others like you and you have the most potential out of all of them."

"Potential for what?" asked Naruto.

"Shihai no chikara. Mastery of the Force," explained Kyubi.

"What's the force," asked Naruto.

"It's the mystical bond between every living thing, it surrounds us and penetrates us and binds the galaxy together. There are those who can channe the Force to affect the world around them. They can use it to push, hold immobile and pull objects or people. They can use it to influence the mind and create illusions. They can the Force to crush and hurl lightning bolts at their enemies. The Force can also be used speed up, both physically and mentally, allowing you more time to make decisions. Some could use the Force to heal themselves or others. Some could even catch glimpses of the future while meditating," said the Kyubi, remembering all the chats he had with friends of long ago.

"So… I could do all of that?" asked Naruto.

"Probably… I can sense the power within you, you only need the training."

"COOL!" shouted Naruto, his voice echoing off the walls. Kyubi winced as his ears flared in pain.

"Okay, time to go out into the world," said Kyubi, sending a burst of energy at Naruto.

Naruto came out of his mindscape and blinked. Nothing had changed. The papers were still floating to the ground, the sound of the villagers still picking themselves up off the ground around the corner.

"What the hell?" asked Naruto.

_~Our conversations only take a millisecond in your world.~_ said the Kyubi.

_You can talk through my mind now?_

_~No, I'm talking through the person next to you.~_

_Really?_

_~No. Now we have to leave.~_

_Why?_

_~You want to train to learn, control and strengthen your abilities, do you not?~_

_Well, yeah, but what about the academy? What about Ojiisan? Inu? My friends?_

_~Who?~_

_Haha… funny._

_~We are leaving now because Inu and your Lord Hokage will try to keep us here. We need to go and find the last lair I know of where my old friends were staying.~_

_Okay fine. What should I bring?_

_~Well, since you have little training in ninja skills as well as Force skills, we might as well bring all your ninja tools… On second thought, leave them. They are of a such low quality, they wont last longer than a day or two.~_

_So where are we going to get new ones?_

_~Easy answer: we steal what we need then send the Hokage the bill.~_

_Sounds like a plan, lets go._

Naruto left the alley, stepping around the villagers who had crashed into walls and were still unconscious. He reached the mouth of the alley and stuck his head out, looking for any other villagers who wanted to kill him. Finding none, he snuck towards the shinobi section of the market quarter.

He snuck into Higarashi weapons shop, since weapons were first on his and Kyubi's required items list. The locked door did not deter him, as he bypassed it to enter through the air vents on the roof above. He popped open the vent, giving him a view of the dark inside of the shop. He dropped to the floor, waited a moment to make sure no one heard his entrance, and then grabbed a leather bag off a rack.

_~Okay, first: grab a few sets of senbon, shuriken and kunai. We'll need them for shinobi training. Second: Grab a zatoichi stick sword. We'll use that for training in the Force.~_

_Why do we need the sword? All the abilities I've used so far are weapon-less techniques,_ thought Naruto, stopping as he reached for a fourth pack of senbon.

_~There are styles of swordsmanship that are superior to anything the ninjas can teach you. The stick sword will replicate the blade we'll use later on… when you build it that is. Grab some ninja wire and a piece of cloth.~_

_Right, _thought Naruto, grabbing a matte black coloured stick sword off a rack of other swords. He picked up a piece of cloth and tied it to the sword before slinging it on his back. He looked around for a moment before he sighted the circles of ninja wire hanging on hooks near the back. He grabbed a pair of rings and added them to the small assortment of weapons in the bag.

_Okay, I got the weapons, now what?_

_~We get you some new clothes.~_

Naruto walked towards the door, passing through the shadow filled room.

_~Wait!~, _shouted the Kyubi, causing Naruto to jump through the roof.

_What?!?!, _though Naruto, try to calm his racing heart.

_~How are you going to lock the door from the outside?~_

_Hmmm… good point. I'll just go back the way I came_, thought Naruto, turning back to walk towards the air vent. As he passed the counter, he remembered to leave a note for the owner.

He walked to the area of the floor underneath the open air vent. He looked up at the opening, about five feet above his head.

_~Feel the power flowing through your legs, breathe in, and then jump. Jump lightly though~_

Naruto crouched down and concentrated on his legs. He immediately felt the flowing, energizing sensation he had felt before in his legs. He took a small breath and jumped…

And nearly brained himself on the top of the air vent.

_Holy crap! I just jumped almost twelve feet in the air!_

_~What did I say? Jump lightly. Does he listen? No, of course not. I'm just the lord of all demons and immortal. Why would anyone listen to me?~_

_Oh, shut up,_ thought Naruto as he climbed through the air vent.

Naruto emerged from the air vent, covered in dust and carrying his bag of stolen weapons. He looked up into the sky, watching the stars. By his reckoning, he had about five hours before the sun rises. He would have to be gone by then.

_You done complaining now?_ Asked Naruto in his head, since the Kyubi had been complaining, in many different words that you would hear in any bar after twelve a.m., about the lack of brains Naruto had displayed in his escape from the weapon shop.

_~Not by a long shot. But until later, we must resume our rather dubious means of acquiring items we will use on our trip.~ _replied Kyubi, smirking.

_Where to next? _asked Naruto, looking around at the moonlit market district. The place had a calm feeling around it when there were no people bustling through it, throwing him hate filled glares and rotten produce at him in attempts to drive him away.

_~Enough remembering, we need to hit the clothing shop across the street. Your friend Haruno's parents own it, if I'm not mistaken. We need some new clothes. Once we're out of here, we are burning that hideous jumpsuit.~_

_Hey, they barely let me buy this thing at five times the actual price, let alone anything else! And another thing: Sakura is not my friend! She hates my guts!_

_~I know, I know. She hates your guts 'cause I'm sealed in them. Enough chat, let's go, jump to the next building, across the street. Use the Force again.~_

Naruto jumped again, soaring through the air to land five feet in on the opposite roof. _I will never get tired of this,_ thought Naruto, as he walked towards the air duct opening.

He opened the duct and climbed in. He slid down the vent and crawled to the grate into the opening to the store, bypassing the grates that opened to the different apartments above the shop.

_~Okay, once you get down there, grab some dark grey shirts and pants, a mottled black hooded cloak, and a wide black belt, about four inches wide. Grab a few shuriken holsters and pouches as well. Also, grab a sewing kit and some material the same color as your clothing.~_

Naruto searched around, going through the racks and shelves of clothing to find the required items. He picked several mottled grey t-shirts and pants as well as a black belt with attachments to hang pouches and other tools on. He had to search around for a little to find a cloak that was the right color and size for him, but he finally found one near the back. He found the sewing supplies and material right behind the counter. The pouches and holsters he found in the shinobi section, right where he saw them when he would wander the marketplace after class at the academy.

He left a note on the counter and made to leave.

_~Okay, lets go.~_

Naruto used the Force once again to access the air vent and made his way to the roof. _Anything else? _He asked, looking at his loaded bag of stolen items.

_~Nope, we're good. Head for the gate and go north. That's where I last remember the hiding place of the last two people to manipulate the Force like you do.~_

Naruto ran across the rooftops, heading for the gate, using the Force when needed to launch himself across streets, his bag of pilfered merchandise bumping into his back at every landing.

_~Keep an eye out for those ANBU who patrol around here. They catch us, we get thrown in jail.~_

_I know,_ thought Naruto, looking around for any sentries.

_~Don't depend on your eyes.~_

_How the hell am I supposed to see then?_

_~Use your other senses. Including the Force. Reach out with your mind and sense for others.~_

Naruto stopped for a moment and closed his eyes. He slowly began to sense energy forms in the tapestry of the Force. He felt three moving forms, all three walking along the rooftops.

_~There, you see? Or rather, you don't see? You can feel people through the Force, since the Force connects all living things. With training, you will be able to sense people and intentions unconsciously.~_

_Okay, the ANBU are patrolling the streets ahead. Any idea how to get past them?_

_~If you had the training, I'd say influence their minds. Since you can't do that, I would go through the sewers.~_

_I hate the sewers,_ thought Naruto, jumping down to the street level. He was about to lift the manhole cover, then got an idea.

He took a step back and lifted his hands to point them at the cover. He concentrated on the cover and let the Force flow through him again. He slowly lifted his hands and, to his surprise, the manhole cover lifted as well. It rose as he lifted his hands higher. He kept his hands pointed at the lid as he walked forward and jumped in to the sewer. He landed with a splash, ankle deep in sewage. He slowly lowered his hands to once again let the cover settle back into its groove.

_I really hate the sewers._

_~I heard you the first time. Get moving.~ _snarled Kyubi.

Naruto slogged his way through the sewer, holding his breath as much as possible. He finally came to a dead end. He looked up to see another manhole cover above.

Tired of the sewer, the smell and the sewage he had waded through, he pushed the manhole cover with such force that it rocketed into the sky, nearly coming level with the archway on the gate. Naruto leapt out the sewer and caught the lid before it clanged on the street.

Naruto faced the gates, looking out at the trees that surrounded his soon-to-be ex- home.

_~Well, they say 'A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' Here's ours.~_ said Kyubi, feeling Naruto's sadness about leaving his home.

Naruto looked back at the four heads adorning the cliff face. _I'll be back. I'll be back and protect this village like you did,_ thought Naruto as he looked at the Hokages forever immortalized in the rock of the cliff.

With that, he turned and gathered the Force. He looked over his shoulder one last time before launching himself towards the forest.

His jump cleared most of the trees for about a hundred meters. He landed on a tree branch and looked from where he had jumped to where he was now. _Now, that is cool!_

_~Concentrate. We are not out here to have fun we have to find that hidden dwelling of the other Force-users.~_

_Okay, okay, _thought Naruto as he resumed leaping from tree to tree.

He continued to hurl himself through the air till morning, watching the scenery blur by, the sun rising in the east, and the animals that traveled on their own paths on the forest floor.

_I wonder if Ojiisan got my notes yet._

The Hokage was at his desk, beginning his day with the enemy of all Hokages: Paperwork. On top of the pile were two notes from Naruto, one found in the Haruno clothing store and one in the Higarashi weapons shop. Curious about the contents of the letter, Hiruzen picked them up and opened them.

_Dear Ojiisan,_

_I have left the village to pursue training in secret. I have unfortunately been forced to collect weapons and clothing by rather dubious means. From the Higarashi weapons shop, I have taken:_

_Four packages of shuriken_

_Three packages of kunai_

_Five packages of senbon_

_One Zatoichi-style stick sword_

_Four rings of ninja wire_

_Please see to it that these items are paid for. I will repay you when I return._

The old Hokage quickly looked to the second letter:

_From the Haruno clothing shop, I have taken:_

_Four pairs of mottled grey pants_

_Four mottled grey shirts_

_One sewing kit_

_One mottled black cloak_

_Three meters of mottled grey material_

_One black belt_

_Please see to it that these items are paid for. I will repay you when I return._

Hiruzen sat there for a moment, rereading the letters. He set the letters and turned to face the windows.

"NARUTO!!!!"

**Well, that's the start. Not much lightsaber or Force Lightning stuff yet, but we'll get to that later.**

**Tell me what you think…**


	2. Training

**Greetings, fellow authors and readers. Sorry for the large amount of time between updates.**

**I apologize for the line spacing of my previous chapter. It will be rectified soon enough.**

**Thank you to all reviewers: darthdrew1704, Inumiru, Blackfang1983, kyuubilord, Stormraven, Lvmj, BoneNomad, and my good friend: Angel of Dark Intuition. Thanks go to all of you, you the story going!**

**Ahem…**

**On with the Fic!**

"This is it? This is what I've run four days straight to find?" growled Naruto, his whole body trembling in anger. His eyes glared at the target of his rage: a cave.

_~Yes, this is the place. Can't you feel it? The remnant of others here before you?~ _said the Kyubi.

_Yeah, now that you mention it, I do feel something. A ghost of a presence, maybe two,_ thought Naruto, slowly walking into the cave.

The cave was a small one, the walls made out of a rough stone, stalagmites hanging down from the ceiling with sharp ends, water dripping into pools from the points. The cave looked as if no one had been in it for a long while.

_So… where's the teachings and tools and other such stuff that's supposed to be here?_ asked Naruto, searching every possible nook and cranny.

The Kyubi chuckled within his mind. _~Remember: Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them. Stretch out with your feelings. Feel the cave.~_

Naruto straitened and closed his eyes, focusing his mind. He felt the Force flow through his body, relaxing his muscles and clearing his mind. In his mind's eye, he saw the cave stretched on for about fifty feet then opened up to a large cavern.

He opened his and saw the rock had been rearranged. Where there had been a seemingly rock-solid wall, now it was a passageway, exactly as his mind's eye had seen.

_Amazing,_ thought Naruto, walking to the passageway. _I felt the rock, smelled the stone, saw it with my very own eyes._

_~The force can be used to cloud the senses, make things feel and seem real and, in truth, be false.~_ said Kyubi._ ~Lucky for us, you are the most powerful I've met. Your illusions and skills will make those before you seem like parlour tricks.~_

Naruto crept forward through the cavern, a pair of kunai in his hands. The Kyubi had taught him some advanced kunai tricks during the nights before. The Kyubi had complimented him on his ability to learn quickly. The tricks learned in the past three nights would be enough to overwhelm any attacker that may lay in wait.

The passage grew darker as he walked deeper and deeper into the cave. When he felt the walls of the cave fade away, he could not see his hand in front of his face.

_~Well, I'll fix that.~_

Naruto's body felt as if it was on fire, his blood boiling within his veins. He collapsed to the floor, curled into a ball and closed his eyes He felt as if he had been dunked in acid, his skin and muscles rippling as red chakra filled the air around him. The pain lasted for three minutes, then faded to a dull ache.

Naruto opened his eyes. He could see clearly as if he held a torch or a light in his hands. He could see the cavern, shelves with scrolls lining the walls, a tool bench on the far side, a variety of weapons beside it. An large open arena dominated most of the floor, half-columns, bricks and debris littering the floor.

_What is this place?_

_~The training place of the last tow people I knew who could use the Force. I remember this place now. This was the larges of the caves, a grand library and training area for both the Force-users and their ninja counterparts.~_

Naruto stepped closer to the wall. He noticed a shelf filled with a liquid that stretched out around the room. Reaching up, he dipped his finger into the liquid. He licked his finger. The taste was revolting. Naruto spat, trying to clear his mouth of the vile taste.

_Ohh, Kami that tastes like crap!_

_~Light it.~_

_Huh?_ thought Naruto, puzzled at Kyubi's instructions.

_~It's oil.~_

_Ohh…_ Naruto lifted his kunai and clashed them together, creating a shower of sparks. The oil ignited, the flames spreading on its shelf, bringing light to the entire room.

"Well, that's an improvement."

_~Really? I had no idea.~_

Naruto walked over to the first shelf and lifted the first scroll. He opened it and read the first line.

_-__Meditation, the key to a clear mind-_

_~Meditation will help clear your mind and, through meditation, you could catch glimpses of the future.~_

Naruto looked at the other scrolls on the shelf and the other three shelves.

_This is going to take a while._

_~Before we begin, you're going to learn kage bunshin no jutsu. It creates solid bodies rather than illusionary clones like the regular bunshin,~ _said Kyubi. _~They also can use their own jutsu. When they are dispelled or 'killed', their memories are transferred to your thick skull.~_

_Keep taking shots at me and I'll change my mindscape to Hello Kitty._

The Kyubi gasped in fear. _~You wouldn't dare.~_

_No, I wouldn't. What are the signs for the kage bunshin?_

_~There is only one. Simple enough for your idiotic mind. It is a modified ram seal in which your fingers form a cross.~_

_Okay._

Naruto formed the cross seal and channelled some charka. With a whispered "kage bunshin no jutsu," twenty clones of Naruto appeared.

_~Hmm... not bad. Tell them to begin reading the first twenty-one scrolls.~_

"Okay, guys. Grab the other twenty scrolls and begin reading. Dispel when you are finished," said Naruto, sitting Indian-style on the floor and opening the meditation scroll.

**Three hours later****…**

"OWW!!!"

_~I told you dispelling all of your clones at once was a bad idea.~_

_Maybe you should have told me that it causes extreme headaches when large amounts of clones are dispelled! _thought Naruto, his anger clear in his thoughts.

_~Did you learn a lot though?~_

Repressing the pain, Naruto sorted through the memories of the twenty clones.

"Yeah, I learned a lot. The Force has two sides. The light side focuses on non-violent powers while the dark side focuses on destruction. Examples of the light side are the ability to heal with the Force and telekinesis. Dark side powers are grip, the ability to constrict the throat or internal organs of an enemy or lightning."

_~What else?~_

"Force powers are neither good nor evil, it's how you use them that makes the difference."

_~Good. Now, can you display any of these powers?~_

"I can try."

_~NO! Do or do not, there is no try.~_

Naruto raised his hands and concentrated on the bricks that were strewn in random piles around the training area. He called upon the Force, feeling the now familiar energizing feeling. He stretched out with the Force, mentally commanding the blocks to rise.

The brick trembled then lifted into the air. It hung in the air three feet above its fellows.

Naruto smiled, then violently pushed the brick with his mind. It soared through the air before smashing into a column, causing it to fall on its side with a crash, crushing other bricks and sending dust flying through the air.

_~Well, you've __demonstrated the bare minimum of the use of telekinesis. We will need to work on that. Create more clones and have them practice along side you.~_

Naruto formed the cross hand seal and whispered "kage bunshin not jutsu," creating ten other clones. As one they lifted their hands and focused on the bricks.

**Three more hours later…**

The clones dispelled themselves, one after another. They had been causing the blocks of stone to fly around the training cave, crashing them into each other and hitting the semi-upright columns.

Naruto flinched as each clone was dispelled, thirty hours of information slowly accumulating in his head. He sifted through the memories, learning from all the mistakes he had made, through himself and the clones.

_~Well, one day and six hours of telekinesis training. Not bad. Now, can you put the knowledge to good use?~_

_I know I can._

_~My, my, doesn't someone sound confident?~_

Naruto closed his eyes. Without moving his hands, rocks rose into the air. Their sizes ranged from pebbles the size of a coin to the half-column that he had knocked over three hours ago. The rocks soared over to him, forming three rotating rings, each at a different angle.

Naruto opened his eyes, reached out, and grabbed a floating rock the size of his palm. _See? I'm much better,_ he thought, willing the rock to drift back to his fellows.

_~It's true, you are better. Don't let it go to your underdeveloped brain.__ You can do this when you're focused. If you were in combat, how would you use your telekinesis powers?~_

Naruto scowled. _I'd figure something out, _he thought, glaring inwardly at his demonic companion.

_~We will work on this later. Now is the time for sleep.~_

**Three days later****…**

_~Wake up.~_

Naruto woke at the sound of the Kyubi's voice as he had done for the last couple of days. He stretched out his senses to alert him of any intruders. Finding none, he stood and walked to the shelves.

Creating twenty clones, he ordered them to begin reading. They grabbed several scrolls each and began to examine them.

_~We are not working on telekinesis today,~ _stated the Kyubi, his voice containing barely contained glee.

_What are you so happy about?_ asked Naruto, growing slightly worried. The Kyubi being happy probably meant trouble for him.

_~Form a clone and grab your sword. I'm going to begin to teach you a couple of the seven sword forms that the former force users had used.~_

_You mean the forms that you claim are better than anything the Konoha-nin could have taught me?_

_~Wow, you remembered a conversation that happened more than five days ago. Maybe your brain is not as underdeveloped as I thought.~ _stated the Kyubi, grinning within his cage.

_I will end you,_ threatened Naruto, glaring inwardly at the demon fox.

_~You may try, deshi no chikara, you may try. Threats aside, make that clone.~_

Naruto formed the now familiar hand sign and formed a clone. Both held their words at their sides, unsure of what to do.

The other clone was surrounded by a cloud of transparent red chakra. The clone took on animalistic features: his pupils changed from spherical irises to vertical slits and changed from Naruto's cerulean blue to the Kyubi's piercing yellow. His whisker birth-marks lengthened to stretch from his jaw line to the center of his cheeks. His fingernails lengthened to form claws. His hair turned black and spiked.

The Kyubified clone stretched his neck, popping as he rotated his head. "It's good to be out, don't you think?" asked Kyubi, waving at Naruto with his clawed fingers.

"How the hell did you get out of my gut?"

"I'm not out. I'm merely controlling a clone, though I did transform him a little so it looks like me," stated the Kyubi. "If it makes you feel any better, I can only use as much charka as you give me. You can also just dispel me like a regular kage bunshin."

"Well, that's a load off my mind," said Naruto, unsheathing his sword.

"Hey, what's with the look?" asked Kyubi, eyeing the blade in Naruto's hand.

"Paybacks a bitch!"

_~Ah, shit~_

**Approximately three and a half hours later…**

"Come back here! Stand and fight, _Lord of Demons_!! What's the matter? Scared of me?"

Kyubi jumped through the air to land on the ceiling, avoiding a slash from Naruto's blade. "Oh, come on! What are one or two beatings because of me being sealed in your guts, right?"

Kyubi was forced to dodge kunai, shuriken, and senbon, the throwing weapons lodging deep in the rock ceiling. _I really should have waited to teach him those ninja techniques, _thought Kyubi as he dodged a particularly close shuriken.

"One or two? Try hundreds! When I'm finished with you, you're gonna cower at every shadow!"

_Ya know what; fuck this, _thought Kyubi drawing his own sword. He threw the scabbard away, leaving his hand free in case he needed it for extra-heavy blows.

"Okay, Naruto, time for your lesson! Kataichi San: Soresu!" shouted the Kyubi, adopting a stance with the handle of his sword near his right thigh and the tip near his left shoulder.

With a blur oh his hands, Kyubi deflected the incoming weapons, batting them away seemingly effortlessly. He seemed to be the eye of a storm, his blade forming the wind that isolated him from the destruction that surrounded him.

"Naruto, remember, the sooner you release your anger and this thought of revenge, the sooner we can get back to your lesson," said Kyubi, lowering his blade as the stream of weapons slowed and stopped.

"Good point, but I couldn't resist."

"Well, I did cause you to be beaten almost daily, so revenge would be first on my mind. Now, let's get to work," said Kyubi, beckoning Naruto forward and adopted his stance once again.

"Copy what I do," said Kyubi, shifting his blade slowly through patterns in the air. Naruto mimicked him as best as possible, though he did stumble quite a bit.

"This is the third form, Soresu. This form is the most defensive of all seven forms," he said, rotating his sword through the air, as if warding off throwing weapons. "Those who become practitioners of this form use it to wear down an opponent before dispatching him, counterattacking when their opponent makes a mistake. It requires the utmost patience, something we might have to work on in your case. Remember this well: Soresu has no pre-emptive strikes."

They went through the pattern for about three hours before Kyubi stopped. Naruto looked at him with a question filled glance.

"Create shadow clones and have them attack you. Learning the pattern in a controlled environment is useless when in the outside world. Practice by defending yourself from the clones' attacks. This will give you combat experience."

With those words, Kyubi dispelled himself.

_Well, might as well try it,_ thought Naruto, forming ten kage bunshins. They circled Naruto, lifting their swords in preparation for battle.

"Go."

The clones darted forward; three dashing low for sweeping attacks while the others went for overhand attacks and stabs.

Naruto angled his blade, deflecting two stabs and an ankle sweep attack. His blade blurred as he spun to avoid and deflect the other stabs and the attacks from above. He saw one clone over lunge in his stab. _There's a mistake. Now, for the counter._

Naruto chopped down on the offending clones sword then swung his sword in a horizontal arc, separating the clones head from the rest of his body.

_~Not bad, considering.~_ said Kyubi as the clones headless body hit the ground and burst into smoke.

_Considering what?_

_~Considering you've got nine left.~_

Naruto felt another pair of clones take swings at his neck, aiming to decapitate him while one clone in the front took a stab at him. He tossed his sword into his left hand, lifting it over his head to stop both blades. He caught the stabbing clones' hand and pulled it past him, causing the clone to stab another.

_Two down, eight to go,_ thought Naruto as he smiled.

The eight had formed a line in front of him, offering a forest of blue steel to Naruto. He smiled, as he lifted his sword with his mind, having it spin in full circles in mid-air, forming a barrier between the clones and himself, while beckoning the others forward with his right hand.

The two outermost rolled forward, stabbing forward with their blades, seeking flesh. Three of their companions leapt forward towards Naruto, swinging their blades in upward arcs while the other three accessed the Force and leaped over his head.

Naruto grabbed his sword out of midair and stabbed it into the dirt, deflecting the stabs with the blade. His riposte gutted the first and a quick lightning quick slash marked the chest of the other would-be stabber.

The three leaping attackers tried for chest slashes. Naruto used three lightning fast taps of his blade, sending them flying past him.

The three behind him landed and spun around to try for a stab in the back. Their stabs sunk home… into the chests of the clones Naruto had just deflected.

Naruto turned to see the impaled clones burst into smoke. He smiled, seeing the fear in his clones' eyes.

"Anyone want to surrender?" he asked, swapping his sword hand once again.

The three clones looked at each other, looked back at Naruto, and shrugged.

"Nah!"

"I thought as much." Naruto adopted his Soresu stance, waving them forward.

The clones dashed forward, their blades drawing blue arcs in the air. The first went for a stab, angling his blade to stab between the ribs into Naruto's heart.

Naruto spun his sword to a reverse grip, blocked the stab and countered with a blind reverse stab. The end result was a poof of smoke. _Eight down, two to go._

"And then, there were two," said Naruto, turning to his remaining opponents.

The two clones attacked as one, one swinging for a beheading strike while the other tried to remove Naruto's legs at the knees.

Naruto took a step forward, leaned back and pulled a corkscrew flip, spinning in the air between the two arcs of steel. He landed as the two others fumbled to launch a second attack. He spun around, drawing his blade through their chests. They stumbled forwards before bursting into smoke.

_Well, that's that._

_~Impressive for only learning those moves three hours ago.~_

_Do we move on to telekinesis or create more clones and fight again?_

_~Continue with the Soresu training. We'll continue the trai__ning for another week and a half, then I will teach you the next form: Ataru.~_ said Kyubi, smiling within his prison.

_Another week and a __half? Fine, time to kill more clones._

Naruto formed fifteen clones. They drew their swords, blades, winking in the firelight.

Naruto sighed, "Here we go again…"

**One week and a half later…**

Naruto knelt in the center of a circle, his head bowed in concentration, his eyes covered by a scrap of cloth. His blade was within the sheath on his back. Fifty clones surrounded him, blades winking in the firelight.

Naruto stood, drew his sword. The blade gleamed blue between the black seals engraved on the blade. Naruto had carved the seals into his blade as a precaution, in case the steel blade were to shatter in the training. Kyubi had taught him the seals when Naruto voiced his concerns to him. The seals would make the blade five times its original strength.

He raised his head and spoke one word:

"Come…"

The clones attacked, blades displacing the air, slashing, hacking, and stabbing.

Naruto's blade formed a blur deflecting and countering every attack that was thrown at him. He repelled attacks from every direction, even from behind, with ease.

The wave of attacks began to thin as the clouds of smoke around Naruto continued.

The last clone ran forward to attack from behind. Naruto held his blade in a horizontal barrier behind his head. Their blades clashed. Naruto pushed the clone's blade down to the ground, then severed the clones head from its' body. He pulled off his blindfold, looking around at the clone who continued to read through the battles.

_How was that?_

_~Very good. You truly have become a master of Soresu. I might even go so far to call the master of Soresu. And only in a week__ and a half. Much better than the last two masters.~_

_What's next?_

_~Kataichi Shi: Ataru. __This was one of the more recent sword combat forms developed. It emphasized acrobatic strength and power in wielding the blade, attributes which were frowned upon by many traditional Masters. Ataru relies on wide slashes, acrobatic proficiency and an open space for the practitioner to fight. One basis for the acrobatic nature of Ataru is that the sword can damage with brushing, light strokes, rather than hard chopping motions of other styles. Ataru practitioners are at a great disadvantage if fighting in a small area.__In dire situations, Form IV practitioners use the Force to aid in their acrobatics. Spinning, jumping very high and running very fast, masters of Form IV are sometimes only seen as a blur. In order to achieve the acrobatic prowess, amazing reflexes and physical punch of this form, a Master would focus on the Force, letting it flow deeply throughout his entire physical being, even allowing him to overcome the limitations of old age, or poor conditioning. Due to its aggressive nature, it is an effective form to use against single enemies but leaves the user open to attacks from multiple opponents. Ataru is better suited to dueling than open warfare_.~

_Great. Time to teach._

Naruto formed a clone and Kyubi took over, making the physical changes he enjoyed.

"Time for your torture," said Kyubi, a foxy grin plastered across his face.

"You mean training, don't you?" asked Naruto, drawing his sword.

"Nope, torture," said Kyubi, unsheathing his own blade.

_Oh, fuck. Here we go again!_

**Okay, what do you think?**

**If you have any complaints, criticisms, requests, questions, concerns, parting remarks, et cetera, et cetera… hit the review button.**

**Translations:**

**Deshi no chikara- Apprentice of the Force or Force Apprentice (whatever works)**

**Kage Bunshin- Shadow Clone (but usually people know this one)**

**Until the next time,**

**Shadow Master Seek**


	3. Powers and a New Weapon

**Greetings form the Shadows…**

**As promised to VFSNAKE, here is the next chapter.**

**Ahem…**

**On with the Fic!**

_You know, we should work on some more Force powers. I've already learned Soresu, Makashi, Ataru, Shien, Djem So, Niman, Vaapad and Juyo. The first form is next to useless now that I've learned all the others._

_~You've already learned to meditate, use telekinesis in and out of battle to the utmost degree, how to influence someone's mind, and you've learned to use the Force to augment your physical skills such as hit harder, react and move faster and jump higher. The only things left, that I know, are absorb, lightning and drain.~_

Naruto sat cross legged in the cave, thinking about the six forms he had learned in the past three and a half months.

Makashi he had learned as a precaution, since Makashi was made for blade to blade combat. It is described as being very elegant, powerful, and requiring extreme precision, allowing the user to attack and defend with minimal effort, while his/her opponent tires himself/herself out.

The form relies on parries, thrusts, and small, precise cuts-as opposed to the blocking and slashing of the other forms. The blade manipulation required is very refined and requires much focus, but the results are extremely potent. As ranged weapons such as shuriken come into play, the advantages of this form of blade combat become less useful, but it is still potent against multiple opponents.

Form II emphasized fluid motion and anticipation of a weapon being swung at its target, allowing the Master to attack and defend with minimal effort. Although many Master historians considered Form II to be the ultimate refinement in blade to blade combat.

He enjoyed this form, allowing him to fight many clones at once while not being on the defensive. Also, the use of the Force with this form made it easy to take out many clones with a single blow.

Shien and Djem So were the next form he learned. By comparison, Djem So demonstrated an even higher level of physical strength and aggressive moves than Shien. It is believed that Shien and Djem both fall under the category of Form V, much like Juyo and Vaapad are both Form VII, with Shien better at dealing with ranged weapons and Djem So better at blade-to-blade combat. It can be described as a mix of medieval swordmanship and kendo.

Form V was developed by a group of Masters who felt that Form III was too passive, while Form IV was not powerful enough. It addressed the shortcomings of both forms, in which a Master may have proved to be undefeatable but could not overcome the enemy. Among the many unique aspects of Form V was the development of techniques in which the sword was used to deliberately deflect a ranged weapon directly back at the thrower.

Form V is a powerful style developed by Form III practitioners that preferred a more offensive angle. The defensive nature of Form III often leads to dangerously prolonged combat.

Embodying the perfection of the idea of counterattack, Form V maintains its existence through having sufficient defensive skills, as derived from Form III, but channeling defense into offense. While Form III combatants effortlessly deflect shuriken and other ranged weapons, Form V practitioners excel at redirecting the offending weapon toward the opponent. This simultaneously defends the user and efficiently injures the opponent.

Form V is also different from Form III in the fact that Form V practitioners believe that the best defense is a good offense. It has already been observed that Form III users simply deflect kunai, shuriken, etc. and parry blade attacks until the opponent makes a fatal mistake. Form V practitioners use the near impenetrable techniques of Form III, then reverse the defensive style into an attack, using wide, sweeping blows in an attempt to overwhelm the opponent with pure force.

Kyubi said the Masters of this style would lock blades with another then force them back, casually throwing them around and pressing the attack.

Form V also uses elements of Form II. However, where Form II concentrated on precise and elegant parries, Form V permits the user to actually fully block and repel attacks since it calls for the use of more powerful, Force-enhanced strength.

A dedication to the power and strength necessary to defeat an enemy characterizes the philosophy of Form V, which some Masters describe by the maxim "peace through superior firepower." To some Masters, Form V represents a worthy discipline prepared for any threat; to others, Form V seems to foster an inappropriate focus on dominating others. The aggressive philosophy of Form V is the source of many a Master's disapproval.

With the offensive but refined movements of Form II and the highly defensive postures of Form III, Form V has been proven to be a highly effective style. Both Form V and VII call for its user to use emotion to enhance their strength. Form V users can best be described as bold, powerful, fearless and confident. They are unafraid to let their emotions rule them and contribute to the fight, though they are wary of falling to the dark side. A master Form V stylist will be able to pull back from the abyss of the dark side.

Kyubi said the Masters of this style would lock blades with another then force them back, casually throwing them around and pressing the attack.

The sixth form, Niman, he had learned only for one reason: Form VI is the stepping stone to the dual lightsaber form, known as Jar'Kai; no one who has successfully mastered Jar'Kai has done so without first mastering Niman. It was for this reason Kyubi bothered to teach this form.

Form VII, Juyo and Vaapad, was learned last. Anybody who views an initiate of this style will witness many sword strikes that appear simultaneous. The most challenging and demanding of all forms, Form VII requires intense focus, high levels of skill, and mastery of other forms.

Juyo is portrayed as a powerful but precarious form that sacrifices defense against both weapons and the Force in return for greater dexterity and strength of attack. Every blow from a master of Form VII Juyo threatened to be a life-ending critical strike.

Vaapad goes beyond being a fighting style as it becomes a state of mind and a power. The state of mind requires that a user of Vaapad be allowed to enjoy the fight and be given over to the thrill of battle and the thrill of victory.

Naruto had just started leaning Jar'Kai a handful of days before, trying to get a dual sword weild into his many styles of fighting. So far, he was less than he would have liked but, in Kyubi's eyes, it was a passable combat style. Not his most comfortable style, but one he could use nonetheless.

He also began to throw in elements of a non-sword style called Dun möch. Dun möch is a style of combat that aims to defeat an opponent by wearing down his/her spirit by whatever means possible, rather than solely relying on sword skills. Dun möch commonly involves spoken taunts, jeers, comments, and jests that expose the opponent's hidden, inner weaknesses and/or doubts. Other variations of dun möch involve usage of the Force to throw large, weighty objects at the Master's opponent during combat, which both distracts the opponent from the battle and could potentially cause damage.

Another variation involves physical attacks such as kicks and punches. The punches and kicks delivered during a sword lock took many of the clones by surprise, not expecting the blows since such attacks display the obvious risk of the user having their limbs removed, so their psychological impact is great.

Naruto was so caught up in his reminescance that the Kyubi had to jolt him out of it.

_~Kit! Get your head out of the clouds and continue with your lessons! We have so few lessons to learn and so much time to learn them in.~_ said Kyubi. He thought about what he had just said and recognized his mistake. _~Strike that. Reverse it.~_

_Alright. How do I perform absorb?_

_~As the name implies, you absorb force attacks or chakra based attacks, then convert it into energy into that which you can use. For instance: One of your clones performs a katon: goukakyu no jutsu at you. You use absorb and suck in the fireball and channel it into unused chakra energy. You will experience an amount of pain, the more powerful the attack, the more painful it is.~_

**Three hours and fifteen second-degree burns later…**

"Ow!"

_~You nearly had it that time. Try again.~_

Naruto waited till his burn had finished healing before beckoning his clone to cast another goukakyu no jutsu. The clone flashed through the required signs and spat a huge stream of fire at him.

Naruto raised his hand as if he were going to catch the flames, channeling the Force for the eighty-eighth time, trying to turn the conflagration back into the chakra that he could use. It was a lot harder than the Kyubi had led him to believe.

Just before the blaze consumed his hand, the chakra-turned-inferno disappeared. Naruto suddenly felt his chakra levels rise as the fire seemed to be consumed in midair.

_~Well done!.~_

_I'm lucky I have you to heal me or we would have been in trouble three hours ago._

_~I am amazing, aren't I?~_

_No. What is next? Lightning or drain?_

_~Drain. It is almost like absorb, except you absorb chakra, energy or life force straight from the source: the human body. It should be relatively easy to learn.~_

_How am I going to practice when the only living thing here is me?  
~Your clones have life force. That is why you can sense them in the tapestry of the Force. They will suffice for now.~_

_Great…_

Naruto looked over towards the wall. Without hand seals or speaking, twenty clones _poof_ed into being. Without a word, they lined up and stepped forward. Naruto raised his hand to rest in midair on the level of his doppelganger's chest.

_Thus begins my draining training…hey, I just made a joke!_

_~A fairly poor one at that. Get back to work.~_

**Thirty minutes later…**

"Well I learned that one fast enough."

"I did say that it was very similar to absorb," said Kyubi as he leaned against the wall with Naruto, watching his veritable clone army practice fighting. The sword forms Kyubi taught him were mixed freely with ninja techniques. Every now and then, Naruto would have to use the Force to stop a random kunai or shuriken that had missed its mark.

"Very true. Now, all that's left is lightning, correct?" asked Naruto, tilting his head to look at the Kyubi with an evil like grin on his face.

"Yes. Lightning is next." Noticing the look on Naruto's face, he asked, "Why do I get the feeling that this will be your new favorite move since the sword throw and Force crush?"

Naruto's smirk grew wider, threatening to split his skull. "Why else? It is a purely offensive move that has nothing else to offer than complete violence. From what you've told me, it can be used to simply jolt someone into unconsciousness or outright kill someone. There are many ways to use it. Some have used it in a solid arc, some in a wave; some even sent a solitary strand into an opponent then have it multiply inside his body."

"The masters of old were very thorough in their experiments of this particular skill. The two I met were very well versed in their application of this particular art of the Force. These two were very active in their mercenary activities. The only way to actively kill or neutralize others without gaining a criminal record was to be in the service of others," said Kyubi, turning back to watch one clone stab another through the heart while others crushed and threw each other through the air. Some even chose to follow their creators preferred move: hurling their swords through the air in a boomerang-like arc to slice throats, eviscerating, slashing, gutting, mutilating, maiming.

Kyubi looked back at Naruto. Naruto's face started twitching, the 'deaths' of his clones replaying in his mind. He grinned. "The more I learn… the more I 'die'… the more violent my clones 'life spans' become." He turned back from the battle royal. "Well, what clone kills me makes me stronger, hm?"

Kyubi began to laugh along with Naruto, laughing at the humor of his comment, laughing at the carnage happening not fifty feet away.

"Heh heh. Well, we have to get back to work. Lightning. You have to focus the Force down your arm to your palms or your fingertips. Release the pent up energy in arcs, bolts of lightning. Focus on many smaller arcs for now. We will focus on a single bolt later. Let your power arc, bend, arch. Feel the power flowing through you."

Naruto raised both his hands, focusing on the power beginning to build at his fingertips.

He sighted, using the L's formed out of his thumbs and forefingers to aim.

He focused once again on the power building in his fingers. He focused on the power, feeling it flow, feeling the Force compress.

"Let it go. Now!" commanded Kyubi, feeling the amount of Force Naruto had, quite literally, at his fingertips. The masters he had known back in the day could not have summoned that amount of Force without killing themselves. It was a terrifying prospect.

_Here goes nothing…_ thought Naruto as he let the pent-up energy fly.

The result was fearsome.

Blue-white arcs of energy lashed out, striking out at the clones with blinding auras of light. The fingers of electrical energy ripples outwards, tracing burning caresses over the doppelgangers.

They seemed to glow before they exploded; smoke clouds rising in the chamber with lightning bolts flickering through them, making shadows become light and light become shadows.

The onslaught of energy finished as the energy left Naruto's fingertips. The pure white halo faded from his hands. He let his hands drop, the tips of his fingers smoking slightly, the burns, resulting from the huge amount of power, healed within a few seconds.

"Well… heh heh. That was fun," said Naruto, leaning back against the wall, breathing heavily. "That was definitely a killer move." He turned his head to look back at Kyubi. "We'll have to do that again, when I have more control."

"Well… I'm glad I'm not on the receiving end of that. That definitely would have killed an army. We might have to be more careful with that power."

"Time to sleep, no?" asked Naruto, watching Kyubi out of the corner of his eye.

"Yep. Tomorrow we focus on scroll reading and ninja skills. I've taught you all I can. It's time to learn the arts of the Masters by your self. This place wasn't built so the knowledge on how to kill or heal with a thought was to be handed out like candy at a parade. You have to earn the power. Learn, practice, master, and then repeat. That is your path now. When we finish here, we'll go back to Konoha and begin a new life. Rather than be the 'demon brat', you will make your own destiny, feared or loved, hated or cherished, worshipped or damned, it's all your decision."

A burst of blue-white lightning linked Kyubi's chest and Naruto's fingers for a split second. Then Kyubi was dispelled.

"Oh… shut up," said Naruto before falling asleep propped up against the wall.

**Next day…**

_~Wake up.~_

Naruto immediately used the Force to sense around the area. He had begun to do this daily, making it a habit. Kyubi had taught him to be ever vigilant.

He had not dispelled himself like normal when Naruto had fallen asleep a few weeks ago. He waited until Naruto was almost awake before attacking him. Naruto had responded with an instinctive Force crush, sending the Kyubified clone flying through the air, its torso crushed. Kyubi had begun laughing as soon as he was back in his mind.

Since then, he had begun scanning his surroundings as soon as he was done meditating, sleeping, or any other activity that took his mind off his surroundings. After a few weeks of that, Naruto began scanning every few minutes. He started this when one of his clones had found that scanning with the Force would cancel any genjutsus that had been placed on him.

_What's on my agenda for today?_

_~Create about two hundred clones. Have half begin reading scrolls. They'll learn all the Force related moves and techniques that I can't teach you. The other half will be taking instructions from me, learning ninja techs. Those, I know quite well, having lived among your kind for thousands of years.~_

Naruto stretched, his neck popping as he tilted it left and right. He merely looked at the cave floor and formed the clones needed. He finished stretching when he realized something:  
Kyubi had not told him to do anything.

"What am I doing?"

Kyubi smirked. "You, my intellectually challenged jail cell, will be focusing on physical training. Start with some laps, around thirty. Each lap better be more than twelve kilometers or I'm gonna mess with you. Then, do around two thousand inverted push-ups, hanging sit-ups, and all the stretches you know."

"Why?"

Because I'm getting tired of listening to you mope. Get running," said Kyubi, pointing to the cave entrance with a kunai.

"Fine, fine," said Naruto, laying back on the ground before flipping into an upright position and taking off running.

**Four hours, thirty minutes, twelve seconds and four hundred muttered curses later...**

_~Naruto!~_

_WHAT?_ thought Naruto, just finishing his last stretch. Pulling the splits was a pain, even though the pain vanished in seconds.

_~Your clone found so__mething interesting. Something I overlooked. The Masters carried a certain weapon, a weapon that was unmatched by any weapon of the shinobi. They were called lightsabers. These weapons were metal handles that emitted a blade of light. The handle itself could be ornamental or plain, depends on the users choice, but the blade was important.~_ said Kyubi quickly, almost stumbling over the words in his haste.

_~The blade could cut through almost anything. A certain form of metal could stop the blade, as well as another blade. The blade would burn straight through a four foot thick steel wall like a razor blade__ cutting through rice paper. These weapons were modified for different uses. Some for killing, some for training, some that would even knock an opponent unconscious if he was hit.~_

_Niiiiiiice,_ thought Naruto, sliding up from the splits and beginning to run at full speed to the cave. He tapped into the Force and disappeared. He reappeared in front of the clones.

"Nice, you got here in half a second. Not bad," said a clone, walking forward with a pair of scrolls in his hands. "Heres the scroll. It has instructions on how to build these 'lightsabers' and what materials are required for construction. There are storage seals in this scroll," he said, lifting one scroll. "I've already checked it out and this one holds some, if not all, of the parts we need to build these. Also, they have instructions on how to create more of the same pieces."

"Good work. You've read the instruction scroll?" asked Naruto. At his clones nod, he smiled. "Dispell and let me begin construction."

With a poof of smoke, the clone disappeared. Knowledge filled his head, the memories of the instructions flooding through his head.

"Oh, this will be fun."

**Four hours**** of hard work later...**

"What am I mising? I built it exactly as it says and it won't work."

One clone leaned over his creators shoulder, reading the instructions and looking over the finished project.

"Uh... I see two things wrong with it. First, it says you need a gem to provide a focus point for the power pack. Second, once the gem is in place, you have to meditate with it. The Force will bond the pieces of metal together, making it a solid weapon. With out this 'bonding' the blade won't activate."

Naruto re-read the instructions, reading the footnotes this time. He noted that the blade color was influenced by the color of the crystal. "Damn it! Where am i going to get a gem? I've unsealed every seal in the scroll and there are no gems in any of them."

A clone shivered before taking the Kyubi's appearance. "Well, there are two options."

"Really?" asked Naruto, looking over his shoulder at the clone.

"Number one: you can start digging at the back of the cave and hope you hit pay dirt. Number two: you can do what you did with your weapons and clothes."

"You mean stealing again?" asked Naruto, the reluctance clear in his voice. "We've already stolen stuff. What are we supposed to do? Become jewel thieves?"

"Yep. I already sent a clone to the city. He will find out if anyone knows about anyone who has any types of gems that you would find useful. I suggest that you dispel a clone that knows what color that you want."

"Fine. I want a black or red blade, therefore I will need a black or red gem."

A clone dispelled. Naruto resumed his construction, making many hilts of varying designs and lengths.

Three hours later, the clone in the city dispelled himself. Naruto immediately sorted through the clones memories. _According to the clone, there were many black opals in the treasury of the Daimyo, as well as some minor nobles in Kumogakure. Rubies can be found in Konoha, but that is out of the question, since if I go back, Oji-san wont let me leave again. Some are in Sunagakure, in the necklace of the Kazekage's daughter. Other than that, we could always hit up some black market jewel cutters, see if they have what we need, but that could take a while. What do you think, Kyubi?_

_~Take the ones from Kumo and Suna. I don't want us to be wanted criminals when we steal from the Daimyo and I know we can't go back to Konoha. Kumo and Suna are our only options. The black market dealers would take to long. We need to do our own shopping.~_

_Great, just what we need._

Naruto turned to the clones and spread his arms. "Gentlemen! Saddle up! ROAD TRIP!"

With ringing cheers, the clones dispelled themselves. "Well, they seem excited."

_~Just get moving.~_

_Fine_, thought Naruto as he packed the lightsaber handles into one of his arm storage seals. He turned to the cave entrance and began running.

_This would be easier if you gave me some directions._

_~Here's your directions: Turn left twenty degrees and keep running till you hit desert. We'll talk more when you get there.~_

_Easy for you to say. I'm the one doing the running._

Kyubi sighed. _~Since you have me, I constantly regenerate your body. This also includes removing the lactic acid build up on your muscles. Also, you are not using the Force. Use it and speed up. We only have about four months before the Genin exams at the academy.~_

_Yeah, I know. Don't worry. We should be in Suna in about five hours right?_

_~Only if you put the pedal to the metal. Enough stalling, run like the wind.~_

Naruto accesesed the Force, feeling it flow through every fibre of his being, energising healing, strenghthening. His feet began to move so fast that he barely touched the forest floor. The leaves were silent as he passed, unseen to the normal eye, until the displaced air went through them, hurling them around with hurricane like force.

Trees passed in quick succesion, yet Naruto never felt the need to slow down. His eyes took in every detail, the rocks on the ground, leaves in the wind, the animals in their hollows and burrows.

_This is amazing. Why didn't you tell me I could go this fast when I was doing laps?_

_~You wouldn't build your strength that way.~_ said Kyubi, pacing the halls of his cage, remembering the days of old, of the time when he would spar the masters, trying to avoid their near god like speed. Even he had a hard time facing them…

**Four and a half hours later…**

_So… this is the famous Sunagakure you told me about?_ thought Naruto as he walked towards the gates. The walls were thick, thicker than the one's in Konoha. _Not bad…_

_~If the architects that built Suna used simila__r plans for Konoha, their kage tower and living quarters should be close to the center of town. Roll out.~_

_Aye, aye, Captain!_ Thought naruto as he gave the Kyubi a mental snappy salute as he walked towards the city that contained, somewhere, the first set of jewels that would build him his lightsaber.

As he emerged from the narrow entrance, a Suna-nin on guard duty approached him, barring his way into the city.

"Excuse me, I need to see your identification papers please," the guard said, holding out his hand, waiting for Naruto to produce the needed papers.

Naruto grinned at him and waved a hand in front of the guard's face. "You don't need to see my papers," he said, envoking the Force to mess with the guard's mind.

"I don't need to see your papers," repeated the guard, withdrawing his hand.

"I can go about my business."

"You can go about your business," said the guard, gesturing Naruto along, allowing him passage into the city.

_That was easier than I thought, _thought Naruto as he grinned and strolled through the city streets, taking in the many sights. He threaded his way through the crowds, at ease because of the lack of hostility aimed at him like back home in Konoha.

_~The Force will have that type of effect on the weak minded. Your powers will be able to sway much more powerful foes than the masters I know ever could.~_

Naruto walked towards the heart of the city, easily located by the large Kazekage tower looming over every other tower in the desert city. Naruto leapt to the rooftops in a single bound, looking around for the dwelling of the Kazekage and his family. It only took him moments to find the building, the sign of the Kazekage marking the door. He did a quick sense, getting the layout of the house and any occupants around it.

_This should be relatively easy. All the guards are far away and only two boys and a girl are in there. All I have to do is get to the girl's room, use the Force and put her to sleep, then grab some rubies._

_~Then you get out of here and head for Kumo, after stopping at an oasis to see if the rubies work in your lightsaber, of course.~_

_But, of course. I must check that things are in good condition. After all, Kumo is much more hardcore with their military. I might need a weapon that is greater than my sword,_ thought Naruto as he was fingering the handle of his sword beneath the folds of his cloak.

Kyubi chuckled. _~Oh yes, Kumo is much heavier on military, last time I checked. You might even have a problem getting in.~ _Kyubi just couldn't resist taunting Naruto. _~But, if you're caught, maybe the Force isn't that strong in you after all.~_ said Kyubi, a grin on his face so wide it threatened to split the demon king's face. There are only so many things you can do in a cage. Number one is:

Pissing off your jailer, which Kyubi excels at.

_Funny, Kyubi._

_~I thought so.~_

_You think?_

_~After being stuck in your head for fourteen years, I'm surprised myself.~_

_Alright, enough. Here's a plan: You create a distraction and I'll get to the Kazekage's daughter's room._

_~I like that plan, it's a good plan, but I have one question: How are we gonna do that?_

**Five minutes later…**

"Katon: Karyu Endan no jutsu!" shouted Kyubi, targeting a shinobi guard station with the fiery attack. _This will keep them after me_, he thought as he turned away, starting to run in case the guards were good enough to catch him right off the bat.

_Yeah, right._

Kyui set off, taking a randomized course leading away from the Kazekage's dwelling. With any luck, Naruto would make it in and out before anyone noticed.

**With Naruto…**

As soon as he heard Kyubi begin his attack, he began walking down the side of the building, heading for the dwelling. Suna-nin flew by, trying to apprehend the attacker. _Kyubi's attack is going well. Let's hope the fourteen years in me hasen't dampened his abilities,_ thought Naruto as he walked across the street, wrapping a piece of fabric around his head to mask his face and his hair. It was already mostly hidden beneath his hood, but there was always a chance.

He began to climb the wall, using his hands as well as his feet, heading for the window to which he believed was the daughter's room.

Reaching the window frame, he sensed the room. Nothing felt wrong, but the Kazekage's daughter was beginning to approach her room.

_This is going to be fun._

He unlocked the window with the Force and slid into the room. He checked the room looking for the rubies he needed. He was still searching when the door began to slide open. A quick jump into the corner hid him, his back pressed into the top corner of the room.

A blonde entered the room, wearing a tan dress that left her shoulders bare and fish net under armor. _Hm, right on the line between practicallity and flaunting, almost like that tokubetsu jounin back home_, thought Naruto as she walked over to the wall where a giant battle fan rested on its pegs. As she began to remove the weapon from the wall, Naruto dropped silently from the ceiling. "Konnichiwa. What is your name?"

She looked over her shoulder at the sound of his voice. Seeing Naruto's darkly clad form drop to the floor behind her, she tore the battle fan off the wall and swung it at him, shouting, "Kamataichi no jutsu!"

_Oh, shit._

Naruto quickly unsheathed his sword and, in the split second, cast his own jutsu. With a downward stroke, he cast a Kaze no Yaiba. His attack split hers, making the jutsu pass by him and hit the walls behind, creating huge gouges as the wind blew pictures and hanging scrolls off the wall..

Naruto smiled at her. "You know, I'm still waiting on a reply."

Shocked at the dismissal of one of her most powerful techniques, she answered him.

"Sabaku no Temari."

"Ah, beautiful name. Now…" he broke off as he sheathed his sword and disappeared, reappearing behind her with both hands behind her back and her mouth covered by his hand.

"Now, would you be so kind as to tell me where you keep your jewelry?"

To Temari's credit, she didn't even glance at her hiding spot. Unfortunately, when messing with someone who is almost telepathic it pays to not hink about things this important. But, she did not know, so she thought about the location, which Naruto sesnsed through the Force.

"Well, now that you've told me, I think it's time you took a nap," said Naruto as he kept Temari from struggling free. She actually put up a good fight, though Naruto had more muscle than she.

Naruto touched the Force again, this time using it to influence Temari, making her fall right to sleep. She slumped in Naruto's arms as he smiled. _Well, we know that one worked._

He carried her back to her bed and set her down gently. Turning back to the wall, he waved his hand, invoking the Force to open the secret compartment hidden there. A three by two foot opening appeared, her jewelry glittering faintly within.

_Just the rubies, nothing else,_ he reminded himself, reaching into the compartment. He sifted through the golden necklaces and other types of jewelry that winked at him in the light. Spying a red flash, he reached and lifted out the target necklace.

He smiled as he placed on another one of his storage seals tatooed on his arm. _I gotta hand it to Kyubi, these seals are great. I'm glad he taught me them._

With his mission completed, he jumped through the window.

And ran into Kyubi, who was still running from the Suna guards. "Uh… hi."

"Run, you moron! Ge that Force using ass in gear!"

Both Kyubi and Naruto began running, Naruto using the Force to speed up both of them. Then an idea popped into his head. Naruto quickly tapped into the Suna-nin's minds and implanted an illusion of the pair running down the street. He grabbed Kyubi and pulled him into a side alley, allowing the Force addled guards to run past.

"Very good, Naruto," said Kyubi, slightly out of breath from his jog around the city.

"Thanks. See any good sights on your run?

"Nah, ya see one sand dune, ya seen em all. Though… there was this one whorehouse…"

"Let's not get into this again," said Naruto, pulling his cloak lower over his face as he walked down the alley, heading for the gate.

Kyubi quickly followed him, complaining. "Oh, come on! I've been stuck in you for fourteen years! Fourteen years without any pleasurable company! Just one hour!"

"Shut up!"

"Oh, come o-" said Kyubi, cutting off as Naruto dismissed the bunshin he was currently possessing.

"Finally, some peace and quiet."

_~That's what you think!~_

The gaurds at the gate watched Naruto pass by, acting as if he was talking to himself. The two guards looke at each other before going back to their duties. No one wanted to mess with a boy that talked to himself, especially in past experiences with Sabaku no Gaara.

**Fifteen minutes later at a oasis approximately thirty miles due south of Sunagakure…**

_Okay, here goes, _thought Naruto as he placed one of the rubies he had pulled off the necklace in the metal cylinder that would soon be his very first lightsaber. The ruby was a near perfect sphere, shining bloody red in the baking sun.

Naruto placed the gem in its respective slot then put the cylinder back together. The only thing left was to activate the saber.

_You think it will work?_

_~You think it wont?~_

_Good point… here goes nothing. Kami, please don't let this thing blow up in my face._ With that thought still echoing in his head, he pressed the activation switch.

With a snap-hiss, a brilliant crimson blade of light sprang from the cylinder, emitting a huming sound as it moved through the air.

Naruto held his hand close to the blade. It did not emit heat, as the instruction scroll had said. _It seems to be working._

Naruto spied a large rock by the lake in the middle of the desert. He walked over to it and took an experimental swing, burning a glowing fissure through the rock.

_~Splendid, your first lightsaber is complete, and you have more than enough rubies to build at least a dozen other sabers.~_

_Yeah, but I don't want a pair of red sabers, I want a black saber and a red one. That's why we need to head to Kumo._

Naruto looked out at the setting sun, watching it slowly sink below the curvature of the earth. "Well, tommorrow's another day." He looked back at his glowing saber.

"And it's looking better already," he said as he snapped off his saber as the sun set behind it.

**Well, sorry for the long time between updates. Due to the lack of time availible for me to type, work,**** lots of ideas bouncing around in my head and a particularly annoying thing called "Writer's Block" has impeded my writing abilites.**

**If you have any questions****, comments, concerns, compliments, criticisms, etc… Hit the big button down there that says "Review"**

**Until next time…**


	4. Kumo Capers and the Return Home

**Greetings from the Shadows…**

**Thanks to all reviewers.**

**To raw666 – the reason Naruto seems focused on the darker aspects because some light side force powers have not been learned yet or he has no need for them. Like healing, Naruto has no use for it because of Kyūbi's regeneration.**

**To Dragon Man 180 – The reason Gaara didn't sense Kyūbi is because Naruto is using the Force to cloak his chakra signature. He could be radiating chakra not ten feet away and wouldn't alert Gaara or any other ninja.**

**To backupacc – Yes, the chunin exams will be funny.**

**Ahem…**

**On with the Fic!**

**Somewhere in the desert…**

_What do you mean, you sense something? _asked Naruto, coming to a stop in his journey towards Kumo.

_~I sense something. A place of power, directly behind us. We should take a look. It could help us in some way… maybe.~ _said Kyūbi.

_It's in the wrong direction. Here, I got an idea. Ill make a clone, you take over and head towards the 'place of power' you sense. If you find anything like scrolls or something, create more clones and have them learn. Then dispel once you're finished._

_~Deal.~_

Naruto create a clone and watched as Kyūbi took over, changing the features of the doppelganger. "If I find that you've massacred a village or something, your next five years are gonna be in constant agony."

"Okay, okay. Scratch massacring a village off my check list," said Kyūbi, producing a notebook and a pen out of nowhere and scratching off the first item off the list.

Naruto glared at Kyūbi before turning away and starting toward Kumo. After a few steps Naruto spun around again. "And no visiting any brothels!"

"OH, COME ON!"

Naruto shook his head and continued on his way, disappearing in a blur, causing a wave of sand to fly through the air in his wake.

**Back in Suna…**

"WHERE THE HELL IS THAT BASTARD!" shouted a rather irate fan mistress.

Kankuro barely glanced up at his sister's outburst, preferring to stay away from her and whomever she wanted to find.

Gaara was… well, being Gaara.

Kyūbi looked towards the village as he passed. _If that girl goes to Konoha for chunin exams and recognizes him… he's dead._

**Back with Naruto…**

The terrain had changed a few times, from desert to trees and then trees to mountains. _I'm getting close,_ thought Naruto as he climbed, usually jumping from ledge to ledge but clambering under others when jumping was not an option.

_Kumogakure no Sato. The village hidden in the clouds. Well, if I keep climbing I'll hit the clouds real soon._

Naruto jumped from one ledge, using the force to send him to the next rock projection, bursting through a cloud as he did so.

A very surprised Kumo-nin stood on an outcropping, staring at the black cloaked form flying through the air in his direction, as if on black wings. His hand flew to his throat, reaching for the alarm whistle he carried.

Before the whistle touched his lips, Naruto landed and threw a quick punch, sinking his fist into the Kumo-nin's solar plexus, driving the air from his lungs. As the ninja doubled over, Naruto straightened and hit him on the neck, just below the base of the skull. The Kumo-nin dropped to the ground, knocked unconscious.

_Hmm… Note to self: Thank Kyūbi for teaching me knock-out points. End note,_ thought Naruto, dragging the Kumo-nin's limp body under an outcropping.

Naruto looked at city, once hidden by the clouds, now revealed in its glory. _Well, this city hidden in the clouds seems to be just that._

Naruto paused for a moment, stretching out with the Force, sensing the patrols walking about. _Definitely harder than Suna… Perhaps a distraction is in order._

Naruto created four clones and had them Henge into random ninja, all their headbands displaying the cloud of Kumo.

"Scatter. Cause as much chaos as you can. Do no display any Force abilities without disguising them first. Run as fast as possible," said Naruto, looking at the clones circled around them. The clones nodded.

"Go."

The four clones scattered, all accessing the Force and speeding away. Naruto sat down on the rock and meditated. Within a few moments, explosions were heard, along with screaming, alarm whistles, and shouts.

_Well, at least the training is paying off,_ thought Naruto as he rose from his cross-legged position.

Naruto crept up the mountainside, heading for the second tallest of the many towers. There, he assumed, were the shinobi ruler's quarters. There was his target, black opals needed for his black lightsaber.

He appeared from the mouth of an alley, merging with the crowd running in all directions. He followed the panicked crowd for a ways before breaking off and walking the rest of the way through the empty streets on towards the towers.

He climbed through a window on the second floor, using the Force to cause a distraction, causing the guards to look the other way for the split second he needed to enter.

Naruto smiled as the memories of a dispelled clone entered his head. The clone had painted four explosive seals onto walls and set them to detonate upon his 'death' before using a Katon jutsu on the marketplace, creating a distraction for the original.

When the Kumo-nin had appeared on the scene, the clone fought well, but refrained from using Force powers for some reason. His swordsmanship was masterful, but a slight over lunge had a kunai in his heart. He smiled at his killer as the seals he had drawn pulsed and exploded, sending debris and shrapnel flying, causing more chaos and destruction.

_Note to self: Explosive seals seem a little weak. Try to up the explosive force in the future. End note,_ thought Naruto as he crept along a hallway, searching rooms as he came upon them. He would enter and stand in the center of the room and touch the Force. The room was nearly ripped to pieces as Naruto used the Force to pull everything into the air, identifying ever piece of furniture or jewellery as it drifted past his head. Finding nothing, he released his hold and let the debris fall, before moving on to the next room.

He finally came upon a room with a large vault door, solid steel by the sound it made as he knocked upon it. He stepped back far enough before touching the Force once again, tearing the vault door of its hinges. It fell to the floor with a resounding thud, echoing throughout the tower.

_Something tells me I should have used a sound suppression seal on that before I pulled it down,_ thought Naruto as he entered the room. Mountains of treasure winked at him, jewels and gold in piles in chests and on the floor. _Jackpot!_

Naruto reached out and pulled a pair of black opals from a pile. The black stones shone in the light, reflecting Naruto's face in their depths. _Well, that's done._

Naruto's smile fell as the other three clones' memories entered his mind. Apparently, a ninja with blonde hair and cats eyes had destroyed his clones with flames. They also said she had huge chakra reserves, not as much as him, but still enough to be higher than the surrounding jonin. _Well, what do you know, maybe someone who can fight me, _thought Naruto as he stepped out of the vault and walked towards the exit.

He had made it three steps before the wall exploded, flames mixing with the debris. Naruto quickly threw up a Force shield, sending the debris and flames past him without receiving a scratch. He used the Force to push away the smoke, revealing the ninja who had attacked him.

A blonde kunoichi appeared out of the receding smoke. She had black pants, a white shirt with black shoulders, a purple sash, and bandages around her arms from elbow to wrists with purple fingerless gloves.

Beneath her Kumo hitai-ate, piercing green cat eyes watched Naruto as he drew his sword. "Whom do I have the honour of fighting this day?" asked Naruto, settling into his Djem So stance, his favourite form.

"I am Nii Yugito. Tell the shinigami that I sent you," said Yugito as she blurred forward, drawing a pair of kunai as she attacked.

Naruto used his sword to intercept the blow, locking blades with her before delivering a solid punch to her stomach and casually pushing her backwards, throwing her twelve feet away. He smiled as settled into his stance once again. "Please tell me that's not all you can do," he said, taking on hand off the hilt, making a beckoning motion.

"You're gonna wish you didn't say that," said Yugito, flashing through hand seals before breathing a stream of fire at him, catching him by surprise. _A Kumo-nin that uses Katon jutsu? This is Kaminari no Kuni, right?_

Regardless of what Naruto thought, his body reacted immediately, accessing the Force and cart wheeling to safety.

Yugito ceased her stream of fire, watching Naruto flip out of the way. He smiled at her. "Nice Katon jutsu. Pity it's not faster."  
Yugito smiled sweetly herself, watching trails of smoke appear behind Naruto. "Your cloak is on fire."

Naruto looked over his shoulder to see flames licking at the edge of his cloak. _Ya gotta be kidding me,_ thought Naruto as he shed his cloak, revealing his grey pants and hooded sleeveless shirt. At his belt was his lightsaber, gleaming dully in the firelight from his burning cloak.

"Do you know how long I have had that cloak?" asked Naruto in mock outrage, watching his cloak turn to ashes. "My father gave that cloak."

Yugito frowned at Naruto's expression, feeling remorse for her accidental flaming of a 'family gift'. "I'm really sorry, your father gave you that cloak?" she asked, almost teary eyed.

"Nope," said the suddenly cheerful looking Naruto before blurring out of sight, blade thrumming through the air. Naruto aimed twenty-seven precise cuts at Yugito, though, due to his speed, she never noticed. **(What is he cutting? Here's a hint: I was watching the movie **_**The Mask of Zorro**_**)** Yugito looked around wildly, trying to locate her suddenly elusive prey. "Where are you?" she called out. **(You all know where he is, right?)**

"Behind you," whispered Naruto, leaning over Yugito's shoulder. She froze for an instant, which Naruto took advantage of as he slapped a chakra lock seal and a physical restriction seal on her arm. Yugito collapsed, unable to stand or manipulate chakra, totally disabled.

She glared up at him, as he replaced his sword. "I'm sorry I have to end our little date earlier than either of us had hoped. I sense a large number of Kumo-nin heading in this direction," said Naruto glancing out the shattered wall. "Not that I can't defeat them, I just don't have the time to mop the floor with every ninja Kumo has." He smiled as looked back down at her.

He crouched down and cupped her face. "Until we meet again, Yugito-chan," he said, walking towards the hole.

"Oh, before I forget," said Naruto, turning sharply on his heel. "Nice rack." With that he back flipped through the wall.

Yugito looked down to find her shirt in tatters. _Damn that son of a bitch straight to hell!_ thought Yugito as she watched him disappear, fury written across her face.

**Somewhere in Hi no Kuni…**

A certain white haired pervert was resting against a tree, scribbling away in a note pad. Suddenly, he sat upright, a strange feeling raising the hair on the back of his neck.

_Hm… My pervert sense is tingling._

**Back with Naruto…**

Naruto ran, jumping off the ledges and taking flying dives into deep chasms on the way down, easily outrunning any Kumo-nin foolish enough to try and follow his suicidal-to-anyone-but-a-Force-user path. One actually got close but had the misfortune to get close enough to warrant Naruto's reaction. Thus, he ended being thrown into a wall with the Force. His pursuers quickly fell back after that.

He finally made it back to the border between Hi and Kaze when he felt Kyūbi join him in his mind.

_Hello, Kyūbi, it was getting lonely here in my mind._

_~Sure, you and your multiple personalities were feeling mighty depressed without me in here. Oh, good, the cobwebs are still here.~ _said Kyūbi as he stretched within Naruto's mind. _~I assume you got the opals?~_

_Of course I did,_ thought Naruto, patting the arm seal as he continued to Kyūbi's last location.

_~Well… I don't know how to say this…~ _said Kyūbi, seeming almost sheepish as he spoke._ ~But… uhh… the cave I visited. Had a whole bunch of scrolls. In a back room there are chests, filled with… jewels…including black opals and rubies.~_

Naruto had stopped running at the mention of jewels. _Please tell me I heard you wrong. You're saying that I spent a whole lot of time and energy and nearly got killed by the entire shinobi forces of Kumo for no reason?_

Kyūbi grinned sheepishly. _~That sounds about right.~_

**Back in Konoha…**

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, The Professor, said to know all Konoha jutsu was facing the most hated enemy of all:

Paperwork.

As he pulled another sheet of paper towards him, a shout rang out.

"SON OF A BITCH!"

Sarutobi just shrugged. With Naruto gone, the only reason that someone would yell like that would be Anko and Ibiki working on another intruder. That comment was usually followed by a "please not there!" and more yells of agony.

**Back with Naruto…**

_~You calm down yet?~_

_Do I look calm?_

_~No, just thought I'd ask.~_

Naruto had unleashed a veritable lightning storm in anger, turning parts of the sand dunes all around him into glass. He began walking again, glass crunching underfoot, sand blowing in the wind.

Naruto created and dispelled a clone, using that clone to broadcast an order to the others. Simple orders: dispel if you've been reading, replace all equipment, and five of them go hunting for food. The others would work on Force powers or the six forms he knew. Those practicing Force powers would have their swords taken by another to practice Jar'kai, the one form he still needed work on.

_~Okay, physical training time. Use some senbon and start balancing on one while doing one handed inverted push-ups. I'll go ahead and get those tools ready for you when you get back to base.~_

_Home, sweet desert, _thought Naruto as he jabbed a senbon into the ground and began his workout.

"One… two… three…" _Three down and four thousand, nine hundred and ninety-seven to go. Then the next arm…_

**Three and a half months later…**

"Okay, let's review, Force powers: lightning, telekinesis, telepathy, healing, absorb, drain, protection, speed, strength, and jump as well as body manipulation.

"Styles: Makashi, Soresu, Ataru, Shien, Djem So, Niman, Vaapad, Jar'Kai, Dun moch, Sairento Kiringu, tae kwon do, hap-kido, ninjutsu, and silat.

"Weapons: Zatoichi sword, kunai, senbon, shuriken, whisper knives, lightsabers, and your custom shoto lightsabers."

"We missing anything?" asked Kyūbi, looking back at Naruto.

Naruto closed the cave entrance, using the Force to move a boulder in front of the cave's mouth before creating a windstorm to cover the area with sand.

"Yeah, we're good," said Naruto, turning back to Kyūbi.

Naruto had changed his wardrobe over the three and a half months he had been in the desert. His clothes were no longer the black hooded sleeveless shirt and pants he had worn since he had left Konoha. He now wore a loose, sand coloured cloak that reached down to his knees. He wore a black muscle shirt underneath the cloak. At his waist was a ragged belt of a dark tan, some pieces torn into strips that hung by his legs. His hands were wrapped in bandages from mid forearm to the knuckles. Beads on thin pieces of leather hung from his cloak, as well as on a circlet around his right wrist. His pants were a dark shade of grey, worn bandages wrapped around the loose ends, securing them to a pair of home made worn leather boots.

His hair was the same colour as his cloak, being bleached by the sun during his constant workouts underneath the unforgiving sun. He also now sported a deep tan, contrasting his sun-bleached hair. His eyes were still cerulean blue, but his pupils had changed to the slits that Kyūbi had. The change of his eyes had resulted from training with the Kyūbi's chakra. As he became more accustomed to it, he could draw on more, though drawing on too much before he was ready was still harmful to his body. **(Think of it as putting 5 volts through an LED rated at 1.5 volts. You burn out the LED unless you use the correct amount of power.)**

His lightsabers were stored in different storage seals, located in many places around his body. His black and red pair was in seals located at the elbows of both arms, within reach if he chose to cross his arms, giving him the element of surprise if he were to suddenly whip out the sabers to engage the enemy.

He had found others when he entered the cave. Many styles of blade and handles were stored in the cave as well as many different colours as well, red, blue, green, some yellow and even a purple. Naruto had taken them all and stored them in seals. If he lost his black or red, he now had extras. _Fat chance of me losing those! Those are my most prized possessions thus far._

"Well, now that the cave has been sealed, can we get moving? That genin exam is in three weeks. We have a long way to travel before we get back to Konoha," stated Kyūbi, shrugging as he went through a Soresu pattern as he waited. His favourite form was Shien, but Soresu was good if you wanted to calm down and wait things out.

"Yeah, I know. I'm done paying respects to the masters who made this place. We should get moving," said Naruto, pulling on a pair goggles and wrapping a sandy coloured cloth around his face to avoid sand and grit from the sandstorm he saw forming in the distance. _Figures… my path leads me right into the worst of nature's tests._

"Right," said Kyūbi, covering his face in the same manner and replacing his sword. Naruto grabbed his sword and wrapped the handle with another piece of cloth. The covering would keep any sand from entering the sheath.

Naruto took care of his gear as well as he took care of himself. _If the gear fails, I die,_ he thought, making sure the covering was secure before storing the sword on his back.

Kyūbi and Naruto began to walk, entering the sandstorm. They kept in touch with each other through the Force as to not get separated as well as to keep a straight path through the storm. _Next time, we go around, _thought Naruto as sand bounced off his lenses.

_Hey, I told you we should have gone around, _thought Kyūbi, three feet to Naruto's left, struggling through the sandstorm.

_Yeah, but I haven't been home for a almost a year! I want to surprise Jijii and get re-admitted._

_I know._

They continued in silence for hours, finally breaking through the sandstorm and entering Hi no Kuni country's borders. The trees were a familiar sight to Naruto, who grinned as they walked through the forest.

When they were about three hours away from Konoha, the both came to a sudden stop, both sensing something wrong.

"I sense Kumo-nin. Why are they on Konoha turf? Aren't we on allied terms with them?" asked Kyūbi, turning north-east towards the feeling of wrong-ness. Naruto turned as well, eyes closed in concentration as he used the force to see what was going on in the forest ahead of them.

Naruto's eyes flashed open, anger clearly written across his face. "They have a Konoha prisoner," he said, disappearing as he ran towards the group of Kumo-nin. Kyūbi had sensed what Naruto saw and kept pace with him as they approached.

_Okay, here's the plan: we use Kirigakure no jutsu to disorient them before killing off two of the three with Sairento Kiringu. Once their dead, you back off and I'll approach the last one. 'Kay? _asked Naruto, as he drifted left, circling the Kumo-nin.

_Sounds good. Why can't we just kill them all? _asked Kyūbi as he drifted off in the opposite direction. The Kumo kidnappers were taking a break, apparently out of breath about ten kilometres from Konoha.

_These guys seem really weak. We're only 10k from Konoha and they're taking a break? What the hell? _thought Kyūbi, halting thirty feet behind a Kumo-nin who had the misfortune of sitting out in the open. In between the triangle of ninja was a pale eyed girl, wearing black pants and a bulky coat. She lay against a tree, unconscious; arms and legs bound by rope as well her hands, probably to avoid jutsu use.

_I have eyes on the prisoner…uh… Naruto, don't you know her?_

Naruto used the Force to see through Kyūbi's eyes. He froze as he recognized the unwilling companion of the Kumo-nin. _That's Hyūga, Hinata. She was in my class at the academy. Why do they want her?_

The pieces of the puzzle suddenly clicked. _They want her for her clan's kekkei genkai, the Byakugan. I heard that Kumogakure still wants the Hyūga's dōjutsu._

_Well, you know what it means if they get out of here with her. She will be subjected to rape and forced to produce babies with the Byakugan. Children loyal to Kumo. What a way to leave a crush behind._

_Hey! I do not have a crush on her! _

_Your dreams say different,_ said Kyūbi, sending Naruto the image of his smiling face.

_She's next to royalty in Konoha and I'm the 'demon brat'. How would it ever work?_

_We'll talk about that later. Rescue first, discuss future girlfriend later._

_Good idea,_ thought Naruto, quickly channelling a large amount of chakra into his jutsu. "Kirigakure no jutsu," he whispered

_Okay, cue ninja becoming alert,_ thought Kyūbi as the mist began to blanket the area. The Kumo-nin all drew weapons, ready for whatever lay within the mist.

Unfortunately for two of them, they are no match for a Jinchūriki and a few hundred thousand years old demon. Naruto crept behind one, drawing a whisper knife to slit the Kumo-nin's throat. He grabbed the ninja, pulled him backwards by his head into a near-bridge position and slashed through the ninja's throat, blood spurting from the severed jugular veins.

Kyūbi did the same thing, though his was a bit different. He extended a clawed finger and slit the ninja's throat with his bare hand.

Both ninjas were lowered to the ground by their killers, who had not one drop of blood on them. Kyūbi retreated into the cover of the trees while Naruto went to stand in front of the other ninja, who was frantically trying to see through the mist surrounding him.

Naruto released the Kirigakure no jutsu, allowing the mist to disperse. He implanted an illusion in the ninja's head through the Force, making him think that Naruto had formed out of the mist. Naruto smiled beneath his scarf, sensing the growing fear within the ninja, mentally praising the ninja's ability not to piss his pants.

"You have a friend of mine there. You would do well to get back to your own country," said Naruto, casually crossing his arms, laying a hand over the seals hidden by the sleeves of his jacket. "If you leave now, I promise you that I will not kill you."

"Who are you?" asked the Kumo-nin, still wielding his sword in an aggressive manner.

"Who? Who is but the form following the function of what and what I am is a man in a mask. And, if you choose not to cooperate…" said Naruto, glaring at the ninja. He chuckled for moment, further instilling fear into the ninja before speaking again. "If you not to cooperate, I will be your… executioner. Any questions?"

The Kumo-nin began to shake, barely suppressing the urge to flee.

"Um… yes. I have a question!" said Kyūbi, raising his hand as if in the academy as he walked into the small space between the trees. He stopped just to the left of Naruto, grinning his quite unnerving fanged grin at the Kumo-nin.

"What is it?" asked Naruto, looking sideways at the demon fox.

"Why do you get to kill him?"

"Because I am the leader of this outfit, not you. Therefore, I receive the right to kill him," said Naruto turning to face Kyūbi.

"If you two are done arguing, back off!" shouted the Kumo-nin, holding his blade against Hinata's throat. The ninja's eyes were wild, driven by fear into threatening the very person that he had to deliver back to Kumo.

"Nice, Kyūbi. You distracted me. Now, Kumo-boy over there has Hinata hostage," said Naruto, turning back to the Kumo-nin.

Kyūbi leaned forward into a predator's crouch. "Give me the word and I'll go for his throat."

"Didn't you hear me? Back the fuck off before I slit her throat!" shouted the Kumo-nin, beginning to panic slightly.

A snap hiss was heard before a black shaft of light burst out of the Kumo-nin's chest. Kyūbi watched as the Naruto beside him disappeared and the original deactivated his saber, letting the Kumo-nin drop gracelessly to the forest floor, smoke rising from the airway passage burnt through his body.

"Well, that was fun."

Naruto looked down, staring at Hinata. Her eyes had opened while the Kumo-nin had her by the throat, allowing her to see her two rescuers.

Naruto crouched down, using a whisper knife to slice through the ropes binding her. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto. You were in my class at the academy before I left to do some training on my own. Sorry I had to kill that ninja in front of you but it was unavoidable."

Hinata's heart skipped a beat. Her long lost crush, coming back to his home village in the nick of time to save her from the clutches of a band of Kumo-nin.

"Can you walk?" asked Naruto, replacing his knife and discarding the rope.

Hinata shook her head. The amount of time tied up had cut off circulation to her legs and arms. She was pretty much unable to move.

"Okay then," said Naruto, lifting Hinata bridal-style. Hinata squeaked as she was lifted, latching on to Naruto's arms.

"Come on, Kyūbi, stop going through the dead guy's pockets."

Kyūbi glanced up guiltily as he pulled money and pieces of paper from the ninja's pockets. One paper in particular caught his eye.

"Look. This paper is the mission parameters for Hinata… it's signed by the Raikage himself!"

_No surprises there,_ thought Naruto, glancing down at Hinata. He used the Force to put her to sleep, allowing her to rest as he and Kyūbi walked back to Konoha.

**Translations and other important facts:**

**Sairento Kiringu – Silent Homicide Technique. ****As the name suggests, this technique is simply a very quiet method of killing an opponent, usually from behind with a blade. Additionally, because the user is very silent, it cannot be defended against. The user will often slit their opponent's throat, preventing any cry that might give them away.**

**Chakra Lock Seal – A seal which halts the flow of chakra, disabling the enemy's ability to channel and mold chakra. Naruto has tested this seal on himself, so he knows it is effective against pretty much anyone, regardless of chakra level. Created by Naruto**

**Physical Restriction Seal – A seal that limits the enemy's ability to move. It stops all signals that the brain sends to the legs and arms, temporarily disabling an opponent. Created by Naruto**

**Shoto Lightsabers – A lightsaber with a blade shorter than the normal lightsaber length of 133 cm. A shoto lightsaber is usually used in conjunction with a normal lightsaber while dual wielding. Used in Jar'Kai.**

**Whisper Knives – A knife I found on the internet. Used for close combat or throwing. See my profile for a picture link.**

**Kaminari no Kuni – Land of Lightning**

**Well, another chapter finished and only after 9 days. I so proud of myself… Ahem, any criticisms, concerns, questions, comments, flames, et cetera, hit the review button.**

**Next time on Shihai no Chikara: Naruto makes his return, scaring the heck out of Hiruzen and joins the academy. What will happen to our blonde haired, Force-using prankster? He'll pull a prank of course!**

**Until next time…**


	5. Konoha and the Academy

**About three kilometers from Konoha…**

Naruto strode through the forest, weaving between the trees, taking care not to disturb Hinata, who had fallen asleep. _I guess this experience was a little too much for her_, thought Naruto, looking down at her.

Hinata had curled in his arms, burrowing into his chest as she slept. She seemed perfectly at peace.

_See? I told you! You like her,_ thought Kyūbi in a singsong voice, walking beside him. He was smiling so hard Naruto thought he might get his face stuck like that. _Since you rescued her, you might have a chance._

_I don't want her to feel compelled to like me; I want her to have to the choice_, thought Naruto, taking a second to glance down at the fallen angel in his arms. Her dark blue hair shined in the patches of broken sunlight, framing her beautiful face and her skin reminded him of the purest snow. Naruto searched his memories and came up with one conclusion: he had never seen something so beautiful in his life.

_Maybe I do love her…_

_Once again: I told you SO!_

_Do not make me shock you again._

_Okay, okay, simmer down,_ thought Kyūbi, jumping over a raised tree root, then rebounded to stand in front of Naruto. _Hold still for a moment,_ he said in his mind, reaching over to place his hand on Hinata's forehead.

_What are you doing?_

_Making her think that this was just a dream and thrusting her into a deeper sleep. Now we can move faster. We'll reach Konoha, bring her back to her family, and join the academy._

_Why didn't you teach me to modify memories?_ thought Naruto in outrage, glaring over Hinata's head at Kyūbi.

Kyūbi shrugged. "There really wasn't much of a reason to before now, don't you think?"

Narut rolled his eyes before beginning to run. Kyūbi kept pace, preferring to bounce off anything in sight. Trees, rocks, and even a river became rebound points for the Kyūbi's black haired blur.

_Race you!_ Shouted Naruto through his mind, upping his speed to the point his feet only touched the ground for a millisecond. Kyūbi responded in kind, becoming a blur parallel to Naruto.

**The gates of Konoha…**

Izumo and Kotetsu were at the gates, sitting in their booth playing a game of solitaire. Things were slow at the gate.

"Why did we sign up for this again?" asked Izumo, placing a ten on a Jack. "This is the most boring job there is!"

"Because it's the easiest job there is," said Kotetsu in a sage-like voice, before moving a nine through six pile of cards to the ten.

Izumo nodded while flipping cards, searching for one he could use.

A dust cloud was forming over the road, the result of pounding feet. Kotetsu nudged Izumo and pointed at the approaching cloud. "Someone's coming."

Naruto and Kyūbi raced through the gate, coming to a screeching stop. "I won," shouted Kyūbi, launching into a victory dance.

Izumo and Kotetsu raised their heads from behind the desk, looking at the two intruders.

"Hey, isn't that Hyūga Hinata?" asked Izumo, glancing at Kotetsu for confirmation. At hid nod, both of them burst out of the booth and confronted the strangers, kunai unsheathed and ready for battle.

"Halt! State your purpose for being here!" yelled Izmuo, pointing a kunai at the duo in a threatening manner.

Naruto and Kyūbi, having finished his victory dance, turned towards the pair. _Hey Kyūbi? You wanna dispel now? Don't want to have to deal with this now._

_Sure thing,_ thought Kyūbi, disappearing in a cloud of smoke. Naruto turned back to the chūnin pair. "You never saw me," he said, using the Force to influence their minds. "You want to return to the booth and continue your game."

Izumo and Kotetsu turned on their heels and turned around, walking back to the booth and resumed their game.

_Okay,_ thought Naruto as he carried Hinata through the streets, _Step one: get back into Konoha. Check. Step two: go talk to Jijii. Pending._

As he walked towards the Hokage tower, he stretched out with the Force and entered the minds of the villagers in his path, shielding himself by enshrouding Hinata and himself in a Force illusion. Things might not go to well if the village 'demon' was seen carrying the Hyūga heiress.

_~Let's get to the tower.~_

_Fine._

Naruto finally reached the tower and walked to the Hokage's office, following the familiar hallway to the familiar desk and the same bitchy secretary that guarded the office like a hawk! _Couldn't he have found a new one by now?_

With a flourish of his cloak, he appeared before the secretary, creating a wave of air that scattered the papers stacked all over the desk. She looked up in anger to see a masked-and-cloaked almost white-haired ninja, who appeared as if he would have been more at home in the dunes of Kaze no Kuni, carrying the Hyūga heiress bridal-style.

"Who are you?" she asked angrily, frantically trying to grab every paper she could before one of them fell onto the floor.

"I am surprised that you forget me so easily, _Obaachan_," drawled Naruto, reiterating the insult he had hurled at her every time he entered the room on the way to show the Hokage something he had learned at the academy.

The secretary reacted in horror, pushing herself as far from the desk as she could. She, along with much of the population, were told that the Kyūbi had left the village and had gotten himself killed somewhere in Kaminari no Kuni.

"Just so you know, I'm not dead," said Naruto, pulling down on the mask, revealing his almost-feral grin. "Also, I have someone that wants to meet you."

Channeling some chakra, Naruto created a clone, smiling wider as her eyes widened as he performed a Kinjutsu with no hand seals. The clone then changed into the Kyūbi, his grin even more bestial and feral than Naruto's.

"You can't call him a demon," said Kyūbi as he walked forward, his claws growing longer and sharper. With a single blow, he slashed the desk into pieces, destroying the only obstacle between him and the target of his anger. "Because I am."

Naruto replaced his mask before walking past the carnage to the door to the Hokage's office. "You have three minutes, Kyūbi," he called over his shoulder as he let himself in, resuming the illusion. The door closed as the screams began.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was at his desk, wishing that he could retire and get back to his calligraphy and his _Icha Icha_ books.

He reached for another piece of paperwork, already tired of the ever growing amount even this early in the morning.

"_Jijii…_" whispered Naruto, casting his voice to sound behind his grandfather figure, enjoying the ability to make him jump. Sarutobi had spun around, kunai at the ready, searching the office for the intruder.

"ANBU."

Four ANBU appeared in the room. Naruto had sensed five signatures in the Force as he entered, so he had resumed the Force illusion. With the illusion clouding the ninja's minds, he walked over to the couch by the wall, placed Hinata on it, and then walked between them to stand in the center of the room.

"Yo."

The four ANBU and Hiruzen spun around to face the suddenly visible threat. _Why is a Suna-nin here? They aren't supposed to be here for a couple of months!_

"I'm not a Suna-nin, Jijii. You remember me, don't you?" said Naruto, pulling down his facemask.

Five sharp intakes of breath were heard before Hiruzen walked over and hugged Naruto. "We thought you were dead."

Naruto looked around the Hokage to see the four ANBU still standing there. "Shoo," he said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. He could practically feel the anger from beneath their masks. _If looks could kill…_

Hiruzen turned back to the ANBU and ordered them away. He then gestured to Naruto and told him to sit.

"Where did you go? What did you do? What did you learn? Where's the money for the stuff you stole?"

"In order: Konoha, Suna, and Kumo. Learned how to control my powers. Lots of new jutsu, sword forms and knife fighting. And the money is right here," said Naruto, placing a small bag on the Hokage's desk with a multitude of clinks.

"Why did you go to Kumo?"  
"They had something I needed. It would have taken me longer if I had gone through… _other sources_, so I took the path of least resistance," said Naruto, shrugging.

"You broke into, stole something from, and escaped the most military focused hidden village in the Elemental Countries?"

"Uh… Yeah, pretty much."

Hiruzen held his head in his hands for a moment. _He is going to force me into a early grave_, he thought rubbing his temples.

"No, I won't," said Naruto, leaning back in his chair. When the Hokage looked up in confusion, Naruto smiled again. "I'm slightly telepathic. Some people I can hear their thoughts, others I can only get emotion."

"W-what else can you do?" asked Hiruzen, silently dreading the answer. Something told him that what was coming was going to give a large amount of paperwork.

"I can make things move without touching them, I can jump higher and move faster than any ninja I've met, see the future in small glimpses, and I can influence someone to do my bidding," said Naruto, listing the abilities on his fingers.

_And yeah, this will give you a large amount of paperwork._

As Hiruzen jerked, hearing the voice in his head, Naruto chuckled. _I told you I was telepathic._

"Okay… this is a lot to take in," said Hiruzen, supporting his head in his hands once again.

The door to his office started to open. "Ami! Not now, I'm busy!"

Kyūbi entered the office, smiling. "Oh… it feels great after some mental torture in the morning. Ah, Hokage-sama, a pleasure to meet you again. It's been fifteen years, don't you think?"

The elderly Hokage's face went from confused to horrified as he worked out the implications of the greeting. "Naruto, is this who I think it is?"

"Yep. Jijii, meet Kyūbi no Kitsune."

Whump.

"I think you over did it."

"Shut up."

After a few minutes, Hiruzen came back from the land of blissful unconsciousness. Two faces greeted him, one with blue eyes and the other with yellow eyes.

"Okay, before you faint again, we have something to tell you: Kyūbi here has not escaped, he is merely controlling a shadow clone. He has as much chakra as I put into the clone. He can't escape and reap havoc," said Naruto, trying to calm the Hokage's fears.

"Well, I can use the same powers as you, so havoc is a possibility," said Kyūbi, producing a file from nowhere and began sharpening his claws.

"Thanks, Kyūbi."

"Don't mention it."

"Is there anything else that you want to tell me?" asked Hiruzen. His senses told him that there was, and usually his senses were never wrong.

"Yeah, actually, there is one more thing," said Naruto, pointing to the seemingly empty couch by the wall. At the Hokage's puzzled glance, Naruto twisted his hand and raised it in the air.

The illusion hiding Hinata dissolved. Using the Force, Naruto carried her over to where he was sitting before setting her down in his arms.

"Why is Hyūga Hinata here?" asked the elderly Hokage, feeling a headache coming on.

Kyūbi chose this moment to speak up. "Blondie's girlfriend is here because three Kumo-nin were trying to kidnap her before we ambushed them in the forest." That statement earned him a glare from Naruto and gasp from Hiruzen. Kyūbi smiled as he pulled the order from his pocket. "Here's the order, signed by the Raikage himself."

As the Hokage took the form, Kyūbi spoke again. "You'd think that the crack team they sent would have the brains to destroy their order after they memorized it."

"This form proves the Raikage's involvement. Arigatō, Naruto, Kyūbi."

"No problem, we needed to kill 'em anyways," said Kyūbi, still sharpening his claws. He paused before asking, "We're gonna get paid right?"

"Well, yes, I suppose so. You did rescue Hinata at risk of your own lives, so I think an S-rank payout would be fair," said Hiruzen, filing the order form and producing a payment form. After a few moments, the Sandaime handed Naruto a voucher for payment down on the third floor.

"What are we to do with Hinata here?" asked Kyūbi, gesturing towards Hinata who had, once again, snuggled into Naruto's chest. Hiruzen smiled at the sight. _They do look good together._

"I know we do," said Naruto, shifting a little in his seat. "If I wasn't the village demon, I might have had a chance."

"Well, you do. Your parents were pretty high up in Konoha society," Kyūbi said, walking over to sit on the Hokage's desk. "Isn't that right, Sarutobi Hiruzen?"

"Well, yes. They were." The Hokage got up and looked out the window, remembering the events of fifteen years ago. "You're mother left this world while brining you into it. She was known throughout the Elemental nations as a skilled fighter. Her name was Uzumaki Kushina."

"Wait, Uzumaki is my mother's clan name? Than what's my father's name?" asked Naruto, growing more confused.

"You're father was an amazing ninja. He single handedly won us the Third Great Shinobi World War against Iwa and Kusa. He was our greatest Hokage, Namikaze Minato. Nicknamed the 'Konoha no Kiiroi Senkō' due to his Hiraishin no jutsu. He sealed the Kyūbi into you, using you to keep the demon at bay."  
"Hey! That 'demon' has a name!" shouted Kyūbi.

"No one cares, Kyūbi," said Naruto, looking down at Hinata to make sure she wasn't disturbed by Kyūbi's shout. She shifted slightly before settling down, sighing in her sleep.

"So… my father was the greatest Hokage in the history of Konoha?" asked Naruto, looking at both Kyūbi and Hiruzen in turn.

At their nods, Naruto said, "And no one ever _told me_?"

"Easy, Naruto," said Kyūbi, holding up a hand as if he were going to ward off Naruto with it. Naruto's anger had begun to make things move around in the office. A vase was crushed, papers blown through the air, and furniture overturned. "Sandaime here was told by your father to keep your lineage a secret, since your father was hated by pretty much all of Iwa. He didn't want assassins trying to do you in everyday of your life," said Kyūbi, turning to Hiruzen. "Though it didn't work out to well, did it? Instead of assassins from Iwa or other ninja villages, we got assassins from our _own village_! Do you know how many times he almost died? How many times he was lucky I was able to send chakra into his system for him to regenerate? How many times your precious ANBU turned away when they should have protected him? _Do you_?" Kyūbi roared, his claws and fangs lengthening as his rage grew.

Hiruzen backed away from the demonic shadow clone. The four ANBU returned, setting themselves between the Hokage and danger.

"You're lucky that Naruto considers you and that Inu ANBU a friend or I would have killed you as soon as I got here."

"Kyūbi! Enough!" said Naruto. "Jijii, send for Hiashi please. I suspect he will want to know that his daughter is safe."

"And summon Inu as well. He might be interested in his friends return," growled Kyūbi, working himself back from the breaking point.

"Tora, tell Hiashi that he is needed in my office. Tsuru, go find Inu. Tell him if he's late I'll tear a page from his book."

Two of the ANBU disappeared, shunshin-ing away in a burst of smoke.

Naruto looked at the others before waving a hand and commanding them to leave. Hiruzen's jaw dropped as the ANBU did as they were told, disappearing back to whatever place they came from. Kyūbi was nearly choking as he tried to suppress a laugh, almost sticking his fist into his mouth to try and stop the noise.

They were waiting for a few minutes before the silence was broken by the entrance of Hyūga Hiashi.

"Hokage-sama. My daughter has been kidnapped again and you chose now of all times to summon me? We should be organizing a rescue missi-" He cut off as the Hokage pointed behind him to where Naruto was, still cradling the sleeping Hinata in his arms.

"You're daughter is safe, Hiashi," said Hiruzen before gesturing to Kyūbi and Naruto. "Naruto and Kyūbi here saved her from Kumo agents."

The Hyūga clan head stared for a moment at the mention of the Kyūbi. "What do you mean, Naruto and _Kyūbi_?"

"Well, I'm kinda controlling a shadow clone, though it has been fortified with extra chakra," said Kyūbi, stretching his back. The movement was accompanied by sickening pops, which made Hiashi flinch.

"Uzumaki-san can dismiss you if needed correct?"

"Yep," answered Kyūbi, resuming the filing of his claws.

Hiashi breathed a sigh of relief, before turning back to Naruto.

"Why is my daughter on your lap?"

"Whoa, hold on," said Naruto, seeing the fatherly rage within his eyes. "This is not what it looks like! She's just sleeping. She had a very trying day, don't you think?"

"Well, yes, ahem… my apologies," said Hiashi. He turned to Hiruzen, asking, "May I take my daughter home, Hokage-sama?"

"Of course. Give my regards to Hanna-chan."

"Certainly, Hokage-sama," said Hiashi, walking over to pick up Hinata. Naruto levitated Hinata into Hiashi's arms, causing Hiashi's jaw to drop. He glanced at Hiruzen.

"We'll talk more at the next council meeting," mouthed the Sandaime.

Hiashi walked out, Hinata held in his arms. He smiled as he looked down at her. _My daughter is in love with a man whose powers we have never seen before. I'm too old for this shit,_ he thought with a grin.

Before the Hokage could say anything else, a dog-masked ANBU appeared in front of him on one knee.

"You summoned me, Hokage-sama?" asked the masked ninja.

"Yes, Inu. Would you please look behind you?"

"Of course, sir," said Inu, turning to see Naruto lounging against a section of the wall. "Hey, Naruto," he said before turning back to the Hokage. "What is it you wanted me fo…" Inu trailed off, slowly turning back to see Naruto giving him a little wave.

"Hey, Inu. How's Hebi-chan?"  
Naruto was suddenly swept into a hug. "You little brat! Hebi-chan and I missed you so much while you were gone!" cried Inu, tears somehow finding a way out of his mask.

"Inu… can't… breathe…"

"Oh, sorry," said Inu, releasing Naruto, who gasped like a fish out of water.

"Just wanted you to know that your little friend is back," said Hiruzen, smiling as he lit his pipe.

"Hey, Old-Timer!" shouted Kyūbi, now hanging from the ceiling, still filing his claws. "Where's Naruto's house? He and I are kinda tired and want a place to rest."

"Unfortunately, the Namikaze mansion was destroyed in the Kyūbi's attack," said Hiruzen, blowing a smoke ring.

"Okay… where's the most dangerous place in Konoha?"

"Training ground forty-four, a.k.a. the Forest of Death," supplied Inu, pausing as he exited through the window.

"Why?" asked the Hokage, looking up at the hanging demon quizzically.

"Cause me and Naruto are gonna set up residence in the forest, why else?" asked Kyūbi as if was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Sounds like a great idea," said Naruto, pushing himself off the wall. "Care to point us in the right direction."

The Hokage shrugged and pointed out the window. After the duo had left, Hiuzen pulled a bottle of sake and a shot glass from the top drawer. _I'm too old for this._ _At least Anko will have someone to threaten, other than Kakashi._

The journey to the Forest of Death took a moment. Before they knew it, they were staring at the fenced training ground. "So… what do you think?" asked Kyūbi, looking at the thirty foot tall fence and the forest behind it.

"It's lively. I can sense all sorts of life in there, particularly some giant tigers, snakes and other dangerous animals," said Naruto, his face forming a smile. "Seems like a great place."

"Okay, let's get going."

They both accessed the Force and leapt over the gate. "Spread out and find a tree that's about thirty feet wide. If you do, signal me through the Force. Until then, good luck. Remember…"

"You're no good to me dead," finished Naruto.

They both leapt into the forest, searching for a tree that fit Kyūbi's description. It took them an hour to find one, thirty meters from gate thirteen.

"Okay… now what?"

"Use the Force and build us a house," said Kyūbi, knocking on the tree with his fist.

"Fine." Naruto raised his hands and pulled. After a few seconds, a section of the tree broke off, the bark and about three inches behind it, measuring about three feet wide and six feet tall.

"Well, that's a start," said Kyūbi, observing the beginning of the construction. "Keep working. I noticed some poisonous plants that we could use. I'll be back in a few."

When Kyūbi came back with plants in hand, there was a hollow tree awaiting him. It had two floors, plus stairs. _Not bad, _thought Kyūbi, examining the floor. It was smooth as finished wood, which surprised him. _I didn't know Naruto had such control over the Force._

Kyūbi paused in mid-step. _Where is he anyways?_

"Over here," said Naruto, who was using one of his knives to carve a miniature Kyūbi.

"Where'd all the wood from inside go?" asked Kyūbi. The amount of empty space in the tree would equal a lot of wood scrap.

"Over there," Naruto said, pointing behind him with his thumb. Kyūbi looked past to see an immense pile of wood stacked as tall as he and Naruto were tall.

"What'll we do with that?"

"Carve furniture?"

"Fun. Lightsabers?"

"Sure. By the way, what happened to that secretary?"

"Nothing… physically. Mentally is another matter…"

**Three hours later…**

Sarutobi Hiruzen wished he knew a way he could avoid the plague paperwork that seemed to never end. He had just begun to put Naruto's acceptance letter into the academy when an ANBU brought in another stack. He looked up, thinking to see Ami, but saw a Tori-masked Anbu instead.

"Where's Ami?"

"Hospital, Hokage-sama," was his terse answer before the ANBU disappeared.

_Why is she in the hospital?_

"Because Kyūbi here had a lot of anger to unleash," said Naruto as he and Kyūbi entered via the window.

"I see. There is a door, y'know?"

"Yeah, we know. We just don't use it. So… where's my paper's for the academy?"

"Right here. Your teacher is still the same, as well as your class," said Hiruzen, handing Naruto a sheaf of papers.

"Great. It will be nice to see Iruka-sensei again," said Naruto, flipping through the papers. "Do you want me to keep a low profile or can I show off a bit?"

"Keep a semi-low profile. Some showing off is allowed, but no making Uchiha Sasuke jump off Hokage Mountain," said Hiruzen, glaring at Naruto as he assumed a 'who, me?' innocent look.

"But it would be so much fun!" said Kyūbi, who was walking on the underside of the shelving unit by the door.

"Why are you always bouncing around?"

"After about fifteen years of being stuck inside of Blondie's gut, I want to enjoy my freedom as much as possible."

"Ooookay. Naruto, report to the academy tomorrow morning at nine o'clock. Room twelve. Same as before."

"Right," said Naruto as he left through the window.

Kyūbi paused as he exited through the window. "Hey! You know paperwork would be much easier with Kage Bunshin, don't you think?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Sandaime Hokage, known as the Shinobi no Kami and the Purofessā, broke down in tears and hugged Kyūbi, saying "Arigatō" many times over.

"Get off of me!" yelled Kyūbi before using a shunshin to escape the elder shinobi's chokehold. "Only girls, man," said Kyūbi shaking his fist at Hiruzen.

"Sorry, little overreaction."

"No kidding."

**The next day…**

Naruto leapt over the fence surrounding his knew forest home. _Let's see… judging by the sun, I have an hour before it's time to head to class. Wonder if that Uchiha has grown a brain or not._

As he walked through the town, the villagers whispered amongst themselves at the appearance of a Suna-nin in their midst. Naruto smiled beneath his mask. _At least no one recognizes me._

_Let's see how Ichiraku is doing,_ thought Naruto as he took a side street leading to his favorite restaurant.

He brushed aside the cloth that barred the entrance and sat down on one of the stools. He smiled as Ayame approached, wondering if she'd recognize him.

"Welcome to Ichiraku's, what can I get for you?"

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Ayame-onee-chan?"

Ayame was taking aback by this. She had never met this Suna-nin and yet he referred to her as his older sister. "I'm sorry. I don't believe we've met."

Naruto smiled again. "Of course we've met. Why else would I call you onee-chan? By the way, how is Teuchi doing?"

"How do you know my tōsan?" asked Ayame, growing more confused.

Naruto pulled down his facemask, revealing his smiling face and his whisker birthmarks. "Recognize me now?"

"Naruto!" shouted Ayame, throwing herself over the counter to hug Naruto. He laughed and returned the hug. "Nice to see you too, Ayame."

"Tōsan! Come here! Naruto's back!" called Ayame, looking to the back of the ramen stall.

Teuchi walked to the front, wiping his hands on a towel. He smiled widely as he saw his favorite customer and close friend. "Naruto, is it really you? It's been so long."

Naruto reached over and clasped hands with Teuchi. "It has been to long, my friend."

"Are you back for the academy?" asked Ayame, still hugging Naruto.

"Yep. I had to take a year off to train my new abilities I unlocked."

"I see."

"While I'm here, can I have my usual? You still remember it, right?"

"Of course we do. Fourteen bowls of miso ramen. Coming right up," said Teuchi as he and Ayame sprang into action. Within minutes, Naruto had his food.

"By the way, what are your new abilities?" asked Ayame, giving way to her curiosity.

Naruto froze, his chopsticks halfway to his mouth. He put his food back down and leaned forward. "Do you really want to know?" he asked, fixing her with his blue-eyed gaze.

"Yes."

"Very well. Watch closely," he said as he pointed down at his food.

Ayame looked down, watching his ramen. It began to float up, leaving the bowl entirely. Not a drop fell as he levitated the food up to the roof and back down.

Teuchi's and Ayame's jaws dropped, shock apparent on their faces.

"I'm telekinetic, among other things," said Naruto as he turned back to his food.

He consumed the rest of his food and paid the Ichirakus' handsomely; repaying them for the times he had no money yet was given ramen anyways. When Teuchi tried to refuse the money, Naruto just passed his hand in front of his face. "It's alright for me to pay you back," said Naruto.

"It's alright for you to pay me back," repeated Teuchi. Ayame's jaw dropped again as Naruto smiled at her.

_I'm telepathic, too._

"Ja ne," said Naruto, leaving the stand.

_Okay, saw Jijii, Ayame-nii-chan and Teuchi. Gotta get to the academy._

Naruto ran up part of a wall then rebounded his way to the top. Harder than using chakra and kept him on his toes. Once he reached the roof, he sped off to the academy. If his memory served him correctly, it was straight ahead. He waved at the ANBU patrolling the area as he passed, jumping two roofs at a time. He sensed the astonishment from the masked ninja as he continued on his way.

He stopped at the last house before the academy. He perched on the short wall that separated the roof from empty space. He closed his eyes for a moment sensing for the presence of his former and now current teacher. Finding it, he smiled. Through the window he watched Iruka perform his trademarked Oni Hitsu no jutsu to quiet the class. He smiled and readied himself for a jump.

**In the Classroom…**

"Today we are having a review on Henge no jutsu. All you have to do is transform into me," said Iruka as he stepped out from behind his desk. "Line up, please, and show me your jutsu."

Before the class could move, a sandy colored ball flew through the window with a crash. The ball hit the ground and rolled to a stop beside Iruka before springing up to reveal itself to be a ninja.

"Who are you?" asked Iruka, watching the ninja warily. His only response was a sheaf of papers thrust in his direction.

Naruto watched the class, identifying the ones he knew.

Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji were in one of the back rows, eating and sleeping as usual. Yamanaka Ino and Haruno Sakura both were in the seats near Uchiha Sasuke, both vying for his attention. _Still going through their fan-girl stage, I see._

Inizuka Kiba and Aburame Shino were talking to their respective companions, Akamaru and the kikaichū. _No surprises there._

Hinata was sitting in a middle row next to the only available seat. _Still unconfident in her skills. We will teach her to be confident, won't we, Kyūbi?_

_~Damn right. And while we're at it, you might reveal your feelings about eachother, fall deeper into love, go on dates, get married, have kids, etc.~_

_Aren't we getting ahead of ourselves?_

_~Just covering all the bases.~_

_Right,_ thought Naruto as he turned to Iruka. He had finished reading the paperwork and addressed the class.

"Class, this is our new student. Some of you might recognize him. He will be taking the academy test when the rest of you do. Are there any questions?"

"How come he gets to join us and bypass all this history and stuff we've been learning and go right to the exam?" shouted a kid in the back row. _Don't recognize him. Must not be a clan nin, _thought Naruto.

Iruka began to speak, but was interrupted by Naruto.

"I have been here before. I left because I needed to train my new abilities. The Hokage has reinstated me as an academy student and therefore I am on the same level as you," said Naruto, glaring at the civilian hopeful.

"Yes, well, uh… Why don't you introduce yourself to the class and answer some questions they might have?" said Iruka, slightly miffed at being interrupted.

"Of course, Iruka-sensei."

"What did you learn outside the village?" asked Kiba, scratching Akamaru's head.

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that," said Naruto, avoiding the question. "Maybe I'll show you some time."

"What's with the clothes? You look like you'd be more at home in Suna," asked Shino, watching Naruto behind his tinted sunglasses.

"I started my journey in Hi no Kuni, had to go to Suna for some _things_, went to Kumogakure, and then back to Suna for a while. Due to the heat of the desert, my clothes had to change from near black to this sandy color."

"What is your name?" asked Hinata, staring at him with her Byakūgan active. _Strange_, she thought. _I swear I've seen him before. I can't see his face through his scarf._

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. It is nice to see you again," said Naruto, pulling down his facemask.

The class burst into shouts. Everyone clamoring for the teachers' attention, forcing Iruka's hand in using the Oni Hitsu no jutsu for the second time.

"Enough!" shouted Iruka, glaring at all the students in turn. After the class settled, he turned back to Naruto.

"Naruto, please continue."

"Arigatō, Iruka-sensei. Who else has a question?"

"How come you got to leave? You're just the dead last!" shouted Sakura.

Naruto stared at her contemptuously. "You. In the training bra. Don't test me."

The resulting silence was deafening. Iruka swore he would have heard a pin drop.

Kiba began to laugh, slowly followed by Choji, Ino, and Shikamaru. The rest of the class followed. Even the normally stoic Shino cracked a grin. Sakura was furious. _How dare he disrespect me in front of Sasuke-kun._

"All right, that's enough," shouted Iruka, quelling the laughter. Kiba picked himself off the floor, Choji went back to eating chips at hyper speed, Shikamaru went back to sleep and Shino merely pushed his glasses higher onto his head.

"Naruto, perhaps you can show the class some of the jutsu you've learned over your travels. After, of course, you show us that you can perform Henge no jutsu," said Iruka.

"Certainly." Naruto flicked his hand at his side into a half ram seal. "Henge."

Naruto transformed into the Hokage wearing his ceremonial robes and hat. "Iruka! Why are these children in here? They should be outside, enjoying the weather!"

"Very funny, Naruto."

"I thought so," said Naruto, resuming his normal form.

"Okay, everyone, outside for taijutsu practice and Naruto's jutsu demonstration."

Naruto leapt up onto the wall, escaping the horde of stampeding ninja hopefuls. Iruka looked up from the floor. "I should have done that."

"Let's hurry outside before every fan girl in class decides to make their move for the Uchiha's virginity."  
**Outside…**

"Okay, everyone, Naruto has agreed to demonstrate one jutsu from his arsenal. Naruto whenever you're ready."

Naruto nodded at Iruka before flashing through hand seals. "Raiton: Raikō Enko no jutsu."

Arcs of lightning raced from his hands into the air, crackling and sizzling in mid air, glowing a eerie blue-white.

Naruto lowered his arms, allowing the lightning to die out.

"Very nice, Naruto. I assume you learned that in Kumo?" asked Iruka, smiling at Naruto.

"No, I made it myself."

"Really? That's… _very impressive_."

"Arigatō, sensei."

"Now, it's time for taijutsu practice. Grab a partner and begin sparring."

That statement created mayhem. Every girl in the class other than Hinata converged on Sasuke, all vying for his attention.

Kiba paired up with Shino. Both had animal companions and decided that they work well together.

Shikamaru and Choji went off to spar. Well, maybe not spar but eat and sleep some more.

Naruto walked over to Hinata, who was busy twiddling her fingers. "Would you like to spar?" he asked extending his hand towards her.

"Uh…uh…uh…"

"Good, let's go," Naruto said, pulling her along to an empty section of the academy grounds. He let go of her hand, walked a few steps and spun on his heel. "Ready?"

"Uh…"

"Don't worry. We'll start off slow and then speed up."

Naruto dropped into a sparring stance, left foot forward, right foot back, forming an L with his feet. His left arm was held low, protecting his body while his right hovered at neck level.

"Come on, Hinata. You won't hurt me and I know you'll do well. You can't disappoint me."

_~Smooth. Classy. Worthy of my container.~_

_Shut up, I'm focusing here._

_~Not working to well, is it?~_

_Shut up!_

He stretched out with the Force and siphoned off Hinata's insecurities. As her level of fear reduced, she began to stand straighter and dropped into a Jūken stance. Left arm and leg outstretched while the right arm and leg were back. Her hands were knife hands, both palms down. One hand hovering in the air above her foot while the other hovered a few inches from her breast.

_~Concentrate, Naruto.~_

Naruto stepped forward, moving at a quarter of his speed. He slowly punched at Hinata's head.

Hinata activated her Byakūgan and pushed his hand away with her right before aiming to strike a couple of his arm's tenketsu. She moved at the same speed as him, moving slowly, tai-chi like.

He smiled as she pressed the assault. As more blows were exchanged, they sped up, always moving at the same speed. "Not bad," said Naruto as he dodged a particularly close Jūken strike that targeted his shoulder tenketsu. As he crouched, he spun on his heel, using his other leg to sweep at Hinata's feet. He connected, sending Hinata onto her back. He looked down at the Hyūga heiress, a smile lighting his features.

"You will have to do better."

Naruto felt her confidence take a blow. "Come on," he said as he stood and beckoned to her with his fingers. His smile grew as she performed a kip up, once again dropping into her Jūken fighting stance.

Hinata charged, attacking as she went. Naruto's smile faded as he twisted and turned as he retreated, occasionally using a pushing block for any close shots.

_~Drop and hit her foot when she steps.~_

_Why?_

_~Just do it.~_

As Hinata stepped forward, Naruto crouched slightly and snapped a kick at her hip. When Hinata attempted to step, her foot was no longer there to put weight on.

The end result was Hinata falling onto Naruto, driving both of them to the ground.

Naruto smiled again as he lay on the ground, pinned by Hinata, who was lying on top of him. She opened her eyes to find Naruto's face a mere inch from hers. "Good," said Naruto.

"Very good," said Iruka, watching from the sidelines with the rest of the class. A few cat calls and whistles were let out by the rest of the class.

Naruto and Hinata both looked at the crowd. Naruto waved to the crowd while Hinata blushed tomato red.

"Would you two mind getting up?" asked Iruka, smiling at the pair as Hinata sprang off Naruto. Naruto performed a handless kip up and brushed off his cloak.

"Same time tomorrow, Hinata-chan?" he asked, smiling at the blushing heiress.

Hinata blushed harder as she nodded.

"Until tomorrow then."

**And the cliffhanger jutsu is a success. Don't you just hate them?**

**Translations**

**Arigatō – Thank You**

**Tsuru – Crane**

**Tora – Tiger**

**Inu – Dog**

**Hebi – Snake**

**Tori – Bird**

**Shinobi no Kami – God of Shinobi**

**Purofessā – Professor **

**Tōsan – Father**

**Onee-chan – Older Sister**

**Techniques**

**Oni Hitsu no jutsu – Demon Head Technique – This technique enlarges the user's head and deepens it's voice. Used by Iruka to quiet unruly school children.**

**Raiton: Raikō Enko no jutsu – Lightning Style: Lightning Arc – A fake jutsu. Naruto uses the words and hand seals as a cover to unleash an arc of Force lightning. (My jutsu)**

**So... Tell me what you think in any form, be it questions, concerns, comments, criticisms or flames.**

**Until the next time...**


	6. Two weeks of Home

**Greetings, my friends…**

**A few quick responses before the story commences:**

**To VFSNAKE – Thanks for the idea. Naruto will have a bet with the fan-girls and he will prank Sasuke. Also, it wont be for a chapter, depending on the length of this chap. On a side note: I don't do harem fics. Sorry.**

**To Dragon Man 180 – Naruto has a very good control of his emotion-control powers. I don't think that Hinata will "****rip off their clothes, jump him, and have her sweet way with Naruto before he can restrain her." Maybe at a later time, but not for a while.**

**To Jayaj Namikaze – Mizuki and Orochiteme… Oh, I have special plans for those bastards.**

**To EDelta88 – Thank you for the heads up about my translation error. It has been rectified. Also, Thank you for the tip.**

**Thanks to all others who left comments.**

**For those who didn't… you know who you are… so do I!**

**Also check out the newest addition to my stories: Za Hiruhoko Sha, my BladeXNaruto story. Please, check it out and review. Only three reviews… I'm so sad.**

**Back in the classroom…**

Naruto sat down in the only seat available: next to Hinata. He smiled as Hinata blushed once again. _It seems that just my presence has an effect on her. Hopefully, I'll be able to make her more confident._

_~You never know… well, you don't but I do.~_

_Oh, really? Pray tell._

_I believe that the answer to this question is best relayed through song.~_

Naruto had a confused look cross his face before Kyūbi began to sing.

_~Naruto and Hinata singing in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes-~_

The rest of Kyūbi's song was cut off as Naruto smashed his head into the desk. The entire class turned to look at him. He grinned sheepishly, sporting a rapidly fading red spot on his head. "Sorry. Arguing with myself."

Iruka stared at Naruto for a minute before turning back to the chalkboard with a shrug. The rest of the class followed suit, focusing on the interrupted lecture. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief before mentally raging at Kyūbi.

_Will you stop being a pain in the ass for one minute?_

_~Well since you asked nicely… no!~_

Hinata looked sideways at her crush, who seemed to be grumbling under his breath. She leaned a bit closer, straining to hear what he was saying. Something about rending someone limb from limb.

While she was trying to remain inconspicuous, a wave of warm air brushed against her cheek.

"Hinata-chan, are you trying to eavesdrop on me?" asked Naruto, his grinning face half an inch away from hers.

"Eep," replied Hinata before she fainted. Naruto managed to catch her before she introduced her head to the floor.

_~Man… you must have a profound effect on her… or she just smelled your breath.~_

_Ha ha. Greaaat. Once again, we have a unconscious Hinata, quite literally, on our hands._

_~You know, this could be a good thing.~_

_How so?_

_~Imagine what you could do…~_

_Once again, can you stop being a pain in the neck?_

Shaking his head at the Kyūbi's laughter, Naruto dragged Hinata's chair closer to his, allowing her to rest on it while leaning against his chest. His arms encircled her, just in case she shifted in her sleep.

The lesson was rather boring, focusing on the Kyūbi attack of fifteen years ago. The only thing that had any appeal was the mention of the Yondaime's vaunted Hiraishin no jutsu. Naruto nearly fell asleep, listening to Iruka drone on about the statistics of the war.

The lecture finally ended at the bell. The class emptied, leaving Iruka gathering up his notes at his desk. A motion in the corner of his eye drew his gaze to where Naruto was sitting. He smiled as Naruto stood, lifted the still unconscious heiress and exited through the window.

_Perhaps Naruto will find the love he deserves…_ thought the scarred chūnin.

**At the Hyūga Compound…**

A pair of the Hyūga's branch family, **Shiruvya** and Makku, stood guard at the gates, watching the villagers and occasional ninja walk by.

The twins wore the same clothes, a pair of black pants with a cream colored kimono with wide sleeves, easily hiding their short swords. They were the best swordsmen of the Hyūga, second only to Gekko Hayate. Both shared the same hobbies and weapon styles. Their appearance was near identical as well, both having long black hair tied in a ponytail.

To their amazement, a blonde haired shinobi walked towards the gates, carrying the Hyūga heiress in his arms. Makku, recognizing the blonde, leaned over to Shiruvya and whispered, "That's Hinata's crush if I'm not mistaken. Uzumaki Naruto."

Shiruvya grinned at her twin, watching Naruto approach. The twins were friends of Hinata. In one of their many talks, Hinata had revealed the object of her desire. _Oh, this is going to be fun,_ thought Shiruvya and Mekku.

"Thank, Uzumaki-san. What are you doing," said Shiruvya, grinning widely.

"Carrying our good friend Hinata-chan?" finished Mekku, an identical grin on his face.

Naruto glanced back and forth at their speech pattern, taking in the somewhat chilling grins. "Uh… Hinata-chan fainted in class today. I'm just carrying her home."

"Did you hear that?" asked Shiruvya, turning to her brother.

"Yes, I believe I did."

"He called her _chan_!"

"Do you have a problem if I have feelings towards Hinata-chan?" asked Naruto, glaring at the two older ninja.

"Nope, none at all," chorused Shiruvya and Mekku, their identical grins resurfacing.

"Good. Now, would you please direct me to Hinata-chan's room? I don't believe she would appreciate me leaving her on the stone floor," said Naruto, walking between the twins. Mekku stood in the middle of the gate, resuming his post while Shiruvya guided Naruto through the Hyūga compound.

It took moments to reach Hinata's room, located on the second floor. Shiruvya slid the door open and left, heading back to the gate.

Naruto stepped into the room and took a moment to look around.

Hinata's room was painted lavender. _The same color as her eyes_, he thought with a grin. Her bed was the same, lavender bedcovers, with a pair of white pillows at the headboard.

At the side of the bed, a small table supported a small lamp and a picture. Her family was immortalized forever. Her mother, father, and uncle stood behind her and Neji. All looked very happy; something that Naruto assumed was different now.

Windows faced west, allowing the sun to stream through, giving the room a healthy glow.

Naruto walked forward and laid Hinata on her bed. He smiled down at her, thinking about how she looked very close to what he imagined an angel looked like, before he walked towards the window.

With a last look over his shoulder, he sprang out the window. Luckily for him, her room was very close to the wall surrounding the compound.

As he perched atop the wall, he sensed a watcher. Turning around, he waved to Shiruvya before leaping off the wall.

_How did he know I was there? I'm the better one at stealth! He shouldn't have detected me!_ thought Shiruvya, watching Naruto from the sloped roof.

A piece of paper flew through the air, performing loops as it was buffeted by the air. It landed on her leg, prompting her to look down. Scrawled across the paper were four words: _I could sense you._

Naruto grinned as he felt the shock emanating from Shiruvya as he walked down the street, donning his cloth mask before the villagers could take notice of his whisker marks.

Naruto sighed as he walked down an alley, sensing another Force signature rapidly closing in. _The class hearthrob is closing in, Kyūbi. Ideas?_

_~We can always kill him.~ _said Kyūbi, rubbing his hands together in a sinister manner.

_Other than that,_ thought Naruto, shaking his head as he turned around.

_~Hear him out, refuse him, tie him up and leave him for the fan-girls.~_

_Better,_ thought Naruto as he watched Uchiha Sasuke appear from the roof above.

"What do you want,_ Uchiha_," said Naruto, coming close to spitting the name. He never liked the Uchiha, since he cared for nothing and no one. All he wanted was to kill his brother.

"Teach me!" commanded Sasuke, glaring at Naruto. _He will teach me. Then, I will be good enough to kill… him._

"No, go find someone else to train you," said Naruto, spinning on his heel and walking down the alley.

Sasuke was seething. _No one refuses an Uchiha! They are the elite, the best of the best!_

With those thoughts he jumped in front of Naruto, grabbing him by the edges of his cloak. "You will teach me!" he growled, black eyes seething in fury.

"No way, no how," said Naruto, grabbing Sasuke's thumbs and jerking his hands loose. With an elegant twist, he threw Sasuke into the alley wall.

"I was born with this power, though I only unlocked it earlier this year. I could manipulate your body so it had the ability to use it, but you would use it to kill rather than protect. With these abilities come great powers, and with great powers comes corruption," said Naruto.

He paused for a moment, closing his eyes and furrowing his brow as if he was thinking hard on something. "I sense you have already taken steps down that path."

Naruto stared at Sasuke, watching him as he picked himself off the ground, sneering at Naruto. "Would you sacrifice your friends for the sake of your revenge?"

"Of course I would! You know nothing of me! I lost everything! I need that power to kill him! I'm an Avenger! I need to kill him!" shouted Sasuke, his face contorted in rage.

"Will killing 'him' bring them back? Will the death of one person bring back your family? Will the power I wield bring your family back?" asked Naruto, sighing as he turned away for the second time. "Fighting for revenge will not you make you stronger. Find something or someone to fight for. Fighting for and protecting an ideal, a person, a place, anything like that, will make you stronger."

Crossing the breaking point, Sasuke flashed through hand seals before shouting, "Katon: Gōkakyu no jutsu!"

A giant fireball spewed from Sasuke's mouth, flying at Naruto's turned back. Sasuke smiled as the fireball seemed to consume Naruto, leaving no trace.

The fireball exploded, sending the flames in all directions, followed closely by a cloud of blue energy. Naruto appeared in the center, the blue energy wrapped around him, smiling a feral grin. He stepped forward and seemingly disappeared.

"That was a _very_ unwise move, _Uchiha_," said Naruto, appearing behind Sasuke, daggers positioned at both sides of the last Uchiha's neck.

Naruto smiled as Sasuke went up on his toes, attempting to keep the blades from drawing blood. "If you _ever_ attack me or any of my friends, I will not hesitate in killing you, Uchiha or not."

With those words, Naruto removed his whisper knives and chopped Sasuke at the base of his skull, rendering the Uchiha unconscious.

_~Finally. We should have done that earlier.~_

_I agree,_ thought Naruto, producing a ring of ninja wire from a pocket and hog-tying the Uchiha. Giving him a shove, Naruto left him sprawled on the alley floor.

_~Don't forget a sign.~_ said Kyūbi, rubbing his hands together again.

_Right…_

**Three minutes later…**

A giant billboard proclaimed the location of Uchiha Sasuke, drawing the fan-girls like moths to a flame.

Naruto smiled as a tide of fan-girls poured into the alley. He began to walk away when he heard a bloodcurdling scream.

_He's awake now_, thought Naruto as he walked away, dusting his hands.

In ten minutes, Naruto had reached the Forest of Death and jumped the fence. Forming a clone, he and the newly transformed Kyūbi went a kilometre into the forest and drew their red blades.

The blades erupted from the handles with a _snap-hiss_, crimson blades throwing eerie light on their wielders.

"It's been… what? A day since we fought last?" asked Kyūbi, performing a quick figure eight before settling into his Soresu stance.

"Yep, about that long ago," replied Naruto, performing a figure eight as well before slipping his saber into a reverse-grip, Shien style.

A leaf blew between the combatants, floating in the wind. As soon as the leaf touched the ground, the battle commenced.

Kyūbi shot forward, crouched low along the ground. He rolled and stabbed at Naruto, aiming for his solar plexus.

Naruto slashed with his blade, redirecting the blade into the ground and slashing at Kyūbi's throat.

_Oh crap_, thought Kyūbi as he leapt above the slash, avoiding the slash. Unfortunately, Naruto had predicted the move and shot out a hand, using the Force to cannon Kyūbi into a tree.

"Ouch… damn you and the Force," said Kyūbi, pulling himself back into a standing position. "You just had to put an imprint in the tree, didn't you?"

Naruto adopted a thinking pose, his lightsaber floating in the air. "Yeah, pretty much."

"Fine, my turn," said Kyūbi, assuming an Ataru stance before flipping off the tree.

Naruto watched as Kyūbi became a whirling ball of death.

Forced on the defensive, Naruto began leaping rolling and using the Force to speed up to avoid a painful death.

_Crap_, he thought as one of Kyūbi's strikes came close enough to trace a fiery path across his shoulder. "Hey, easy on the clothes! It took me a while to find this!"

"Oh, shut up. I know you've got seals to repair the damage. Now, come on!"

Kyūbi began a flurry of strikes, each coming from different angles and fast enough to force Naruto to hurriedly drop into a Soresu blocking technique.

"You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to kill me," remarked Naruto, locking blades with Kyūbi, glaring at each other over the glowing sabers.

"Well… You need to be a lot stronger. Especially if you are going to win Hinata's heart and protect everyone, among other things. Remember: When you dodge, you won't let yourself get cut down. When you protect someone, you won't let them die. When you attack, you cut."

"Fine," growled Naruto, shifting his blade. "My turn!" he shouted, using the Force to put more power behind his arms. With a simple push, Naruto sent Kyūbi flying back. Naruto pressed his attack, sending slashing arcs of deadly energy blade at Kyūbi.

"You know, I really hate that form," said Kyūbi as he dodged a diagonal slash. He looked back at Naruto, noticing the attack had cut through a tree. "Seriously hate that form."

"Yeah, yeah, hold still a second," said Naruto, sending another baseball swing at Kyūbi.

Kyūbi attempted to block, but the force of the blow tore the blade from his fingers. Naruto growled as Naruto pivoted on his heel, reversed his blade and stabbed backwards, sending the blade through Kyūbi's chest.

_~You just got lucky, stupid blonde. All those patterns, Force powers, and martial arts experience and you still get caught off guard.~ _said Kyūbi as Naruto deactivated his saber, giving the handle a spin through his finger before replacing in his arm seal.

_Sure I did. Just like the last three times I used the same kill move on you_, thought Naruto as he shrugged off his cloak. He shook his head as he stuck his finger through the hole in his shoulder. _You nearly got my arm that time. I need to be more unpredictable._

_~Oh, great. More unpredictable. Excellent. We're all screwed.~_

_Shut up_, thought Naruto as he walked back to his tree house. Using the Force, he lifted the door open and replaced as he went inside.

**Two weeks later…**

Naruto propped his feet on the desk and leaned back on his chair. After two weeks of pointless history lectures, it was finally time for the genin exam. He turned his head slightly and winked at Hinata, who blushed slightly and smiled back.

It had taken a week and a half to boost Hinata's confidence, with the help of Shiruvya and Mekku. Naruto had used their sparring matches had helped her faith in her abilities, while Shiruvya and Mekku talked to her while watching her train back at the compound.

Through their combined influences, Hinata had finally become the beautiful young woman Naruto knew she was.

_She actually smiles back now, rather than fainting every time I would come close._ Naruto grinned as he remembered how she had closed several of his tenketsu when he wasn't moving fast enough. Kyūbi had nearly laughed his head off at that.

Her clothing had changed as well. She had discarded the bulky jacket she always wore and chosen to wear a green, wide-sleeved kimono with black trim and slits at the shoulders. A black and white belt covered her stomach from waist to sternum.

He had finally gotten enough courage to ask her out a few days later. They had gone to Ichirakus and shared tales, though Naruto had withheld most of the info about his training trip. After the meal, Naruto led Hinata to the top of the Hokage Monument. There, he told her how he loved her, ever since the first day of the academy when he had fallen off the fence trying to fool around. She had given him a bandage for his cut forehead and was the first person to give him a genuine smile.

To his surprise, she told him that she had fallen in love with him at the same time. They kissed atop the monument, the setting sun behind them.

_I really have to take her out again. Maybe I can get a reservation at a fancy restaurant. I'll have to ask Jijii_

Uchiha Sasuke came over to him three days after his beating. To Naruto's surprise, the Uchiha apologized. Sasuke said he had thought about what Naruto had said. Training for the sake of revenge was not the right path, he said. He asked for forgiveness, apologizing for his attitude and for his actions, saying he would try to be a better ninja. Naruto smiled and offered him his hand. "All is forgiven, Sasuke. I sense you've found the right path." Since that day, Sasuke acknowledged Naruto as a friend.

"Okay, everyone, listen up," said Iruka, standing at the blackboard along with Mizuki. Naruto scowled at Mizuki. He felt evil emanating from him. _He's planning something. Let's take a look_, thought Naruto before he focused on Mizuki's mind.

_Okay, I'll just wait and see who fails, then I'll approach him or her, convince them to steal the Forbidden Scroll, and kill them before I leave to deliver it to Orochimaru-sama._

_Well, well. Isn't someone a piece of shit?_ Naruto smiled as he and Kyūbi formed a plan on the spot.

"Shut up!" shouted Iruka, using his trademarked jutsu. The effect was instantaneous, all the students focusing on Iruka.

"Arigatō. Now, when we call your name, come into the next room and we'll test you on the three academy jutsu. If you pass, we'll give you a hitai-ate," said Iruka, looking around the classroom. "Are there any questions?"

Naruto raised his hand before speaking. "Let me get this straight. You want us to come into that room, one by one, alone with you two, to be tested. Correct?"

"Um… yeah, pretty much."

_~Does this not sound wrong to anyone else?~_

"Okay, then, let's get started. Akimichi Choji," called Iruka, waving Choji forward.

Over the course of three hours, genin hopefuls entered the room one by one.

Naruto leaned over and stopped Hinata as she walked forward when her name was called. "Good luck Hinata-chan. I love you," he whispered as he passed her a small wrapped package.

"Arigatō, Naruto-kun. I love you," she whispered back, stowing the present in her ninja pouch. She would open it later.

Sasuke walked over after Hinata was called. "Hey, dobe."

"Hey, teme. Nervous?"

"Not a chance in hell. I wanted to check on you. Didn't want you to have a meltdown on us," said Sasuke, grinning at his friend and rival.

"Hardy har," said Naruto, punching the Uchiha in the arm. "You and Hinata up for lunch?"

"Sure. Your treat?" asked Sasuke hopefully.

"You wish. By the way, yesterday I noticed that last kunai you threw was a hair off target." Ever since Naruto had used the Force to hurl a stack of shuriken into a target with his eyes closed, cutting each one in half with the next, he would rag on Sasuke about his 'mistakes'.

"You wish, pal. That was perfectly targeted!"

"Uchiha Sasuke," called Iruka.

"You're up," said Naruto, raising his fist to the Uchiha.

"See you on the other side," said Sasuke, bumping fists before he walked into the testing room.

Naruto was the final person to test.

"Konnichiwa, Iruka-sensei, Mizuki-_sensei_," said Naruto, sneering at the last word.

"Konnichiwa, Naruto. Please perform a Henge, please."

"Certainly," said Naruto. He shrugged and transformed without hand seals or calling out the jutsu name. Naruto disappeared in a cloud of smoke, then reappeared as the Yondaime Hokage, complete with the white cloak with flames across the bottom and a tri-pronged kunai in hand.

He smiled as he tossed the kunai in one hand. "What do ya think?"

"Very good, Naruto. Next is the Kawarimi," said Iruka, looking down at Naruto's test paper. He went to check off Henge when his pen disappeared. He looked back at Naruto, finding his pen in his place, he looked down at the paper and saw Naruto's foot in his hand.

"Ta-da," sang Naruto before Kawarimi-ing again with the pen.

"Uh… pass. Now for the Bunshin. Create three Bunshin, please."

_And now to fail._ Naruto formed a half ram seal and used barely any chakra. The end result was a clone that looked half past dead lying on the ground.

"Naruto, you fail. Try again next year," said Iruka, shaking his head.

Naruto turned on his heel and walked out, shoulders slumped, neither of the chūnin noticing the evil grin spread across his features.

**Later that day, outside…**

Naruto sat on the swing, watching the newly graduated genins celebrate with their parents, a mask of sadness plastered on his face.

"Congratulations son! Mom's gonna make a feast tonight to celebrate!"

"You're an adult now!"

Naruto barely hid a grimace when a pair of mothers started talking about him.

"Hey, isn't that the demo-" said one, glaring daggers at Naruto.

"Shh! We're not supposed to talk about that!" said the other, covering the first's mouth.

"He's the only one who failed, I heard."

"Good riddance. No one would make him a ninja."

Naruto jumped up from the swing into the tree above, then leaped to the top of the academy.

"Took you long enough, dobe."

"Yeah, yeah, shut up, teme," said Naruto, grinning at Sasuke and Hinata. Naruto was seated on the roof top while Hinata was lying out in the sun.

"Konnichiwa, Naruto-kun. Thank you for the bracelet," she said, holding up the chain link bracelet with a pair of carved wood charms hanging from it. The two pieces of wood displayed the kanji for "true love."

"No problem, Hinata-chan. I had some extra time last night and thought you'd like a gift."

Sasuke glared down at the crowd below. "What's this about you failing?" asked Sasuke, looking at Naruto out of the corner of his eye.

"You failed, Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata, propping herself up on one elbow, confusion plain on her face. "We know you would have passed. Did you fail on purpose?"

"Good guess, Hinata-chan. I got a bad feeling from Mizuki today. He's planning something. I know it," said Naruto, sitting behind Hinata. She fell backwards, leaning against his chest, looking up at him. "If he comes to recruit me for whatever it is he plans while you guys are around, don't let him you know. Okay?"

Sasuke and Hinata nodded their agreements. "Okay, now then: where would the hime like to go for lunch?" he asked, smiling down at Hinata.

Hinata stuck her tongue out at him. He smiled as he bent down to give her a kiss. Naruto pulled back for a moment, asking, "Have I told you ho much I love you?"

"Oh, Kami spare me! Get a room!" shouted Sasuke, covering his eyes in mock disgust. "Hey!"

"Hinata, what have I told you about throwing pointy objects at Sasuke-teme?"

"That he enjoys it?" asked Hinata innocently.

"I'm gonna kill you, Naruto!" shouted Sasuke, unsheathing a pair of kunai and charging at the couple.

Naruto lifted Hinata onto his back and took off running, laughing as Sasuke struggled to catch up.

Three minutes later, Mizuki appeared on the roof.

"Where'd everybody go?"

**At Ichiraku's…**

"Konnichiwa, Naruto-nii-san, Hinata-chan, Sasuke-kun," said Ayane, looking up as Naruto, with Hinata on his back, and Sasuke entered the ramen stand.

"Konnichiwa, Ayane-nee-chan. Four bowls of miso ramen, please."

"Coming up," said Ayane, grabbing four bowls for his ramen. "What do you want, Hinata-chan?"

"One bowl of pork ramen, please," replied Hinata, still clinging to Naruto's back. Naruto looked over his shoulder as Ayane nodded and turned back to her pots of ramen.

"Are you going to stay there all day?" asked Naruto, staring into his heart's lavender eyes.

"Yep."

"Kami, please kill me now," said Sasuke, grabbing a stool on Naruto's right. "One shrimp ramen please."

"Coming up," replied Ayane, returning with Hinata's and Naruto's bowls.

"Itadakimasu," chanted Naruto and Hinata before digging in to their food. Sasuke shook his head as Naruto fed Hinata over his shoulder.

"One shrimp ramen."

"Arigatō, Ayane-chan," said Sasuke, digging into his meal.

Within three minutes, the three of them had finished their meals.

"Ah, Naruto. Very good to see you again," said Teuchi, entering through the door at the back of the stall.

"Hello, Teuchi-san," chanted the three.

"How's things at the academy?" he asked, slipping on an apron.

"Hinata and Sasuke passed, I failed."

"What!" exclaimed Ayane and Teuchi, disbelief written on their faces.

Before Naruto could respond, Mizuki appeared behind him. "Naruto? Could I talk to you for a moment?"

"Sure, Mizuki-sensei," replied Naruto. He stood and set Hinata onto a empty stool, then followed Mizuki up to the top of an adjacent building. Naruto smiled before Mizuki turned around, sensing Hinata activate her Byakūgan and watch him from below.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, for not talking to you sooner," said Mizuki, truning to face Naruto.

"What did you want to tell me?" asked Naruto, all innocent.

"There's a way for you to pass. An age-old tradition."

"Really? What is it?"

"If one student shows potential, but fails the genin exams, it is possible for them to take a different test entirely. The student would be required to steal a scroll from the Hokage library, take it, learn a technique from it and meet the chūnin examiner at an old shack in the middle of the forest. Would you be interested?"

"If I could become a genin, I would be that much closer to my dream. Hell yeah, I'm interested," said Naruto, false enthusiasm falling from his lips like rain from the sky.

"Okay, steal this scroll," said Mizuki, handing Naruto a picture of a scroll. When Naruto had memorized the picture, he handed it back to Mizuki, who then passed him a map with markings on it.

"This is a map of the Hokage's office, and the markings represent the patrol routes of the ANBU guards. Meet me tonight at two a.m. Okay?"

"I'll be there," said Naruto, turning back to Ichiraku.

"Naruto."

"Yeah?" said Naruto looking over his shoulder at the traitorous chūnin.

"If, for some reason, you get caught, you do _not_ reveal the mission parameters. Just like a real mission."

"Got it," said Naruto, smiling inwardly. _An assassination mission, heh heh heh._

Naruto leapt down from the roof and rejoined his friends, exchanging loaded looks with each other.

**Eight hours later, training ground twenty two…**

"So… the traitorous bastard wants you to steal a scroll from the _Hokage's_ office?" asked Sasuke, leaning against a kicking post, looking up at Naruto.

"Yeah, pretty much?" replied Naruto, crouching on top of another kicking post.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" asked Hinata, lying out on the grass below.

Naruto smiled from atop his perch. "He can't hurt me. I'm that awesome."

The three shared a laugh at that.

"So… you never showed us any other abilities besides Raiton: Raikō Enko no jutsu. You ever going to show us more?" asked Sasuke, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

"I'm working on a way to give you the same abilities I have, but it's very hard. One mistake and I could make you blow up from the inside out," said Naruto, shivering slightly at the thought. The attempts he made using a couple of the giant tigers in the forest had not produced the results he had wanted. "I won't use that technique unless I'm a hundred and ninety-nine percent sure that you will be okay."

"No hurry, Naruto-kun," said Hinata, looking up at her whiskered love. "So… what's the plan for dealing with Mizuki?"

"I'm gonna steal the scroll, copy it, wait for Mizuki to show, and then incapacitate him," said Naruto, stroking his chin in thought. "Oh, I nearly forgot. And then – this is my favourite part – and then I deliver him gift-wrapped to the I&T department."

"Sounds good. Do we get to help?" asked Sasuke, eagerly awaiting a challenge.

"No. Neither of you are going to be anywhere near there. It's bad enough that I getting into this, but I have to seal the information leak. Meaning, I have to capture the traitor.

Mizuki might have back-up, an escort to bring him to the border."

"And if there is, we can help you. You know we're strong enough to help you," said Hinata, giving the post a chakra-enhanced kick.

The force of the kick knocked Naruto off the post, landing on all fours above Hinata, their faces an inch from each other's.

"You fell on purpose," said Hinata, glaring playfully at Naruto.

"And yet, you enjoy the situation," said Naruto, giving her a quick kiss.

"You know, I'm running out of things to say when you guys do something 'romantic,'" said Sasuke, moving his weight from one foot to another again.

"You two will not be there, correct?"

"Fine," said Sasuke, punching the post. "Why do you get to do all the fun stuff?"

"Hinata? You will not be there, right?" asked Naruto, sternly looking at her.

"I agree to nothing."

"Do I have to get Shiruvya and Mekku to help me?"

"…fine," said Hinata, sighing in defeat.

"Good."

Naruto stood up and helped Hinata to her feet. He caught both of them in his cerulean glare. "It's ten o'clock now. Head back to the compounds. I'll be there as soon as I can."

With those words, Naruto leaped away, leaving the pair of them standing alone in the training ground.

A moment of silence passed between the pair before Hinata spoke.

"You're gonna follow him, aren't you?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah."

They both turned as one and leapt off towards the Hokage tower.

**One hour later, Hokage's library…**

Naruto dropped in behind a pair of ANBU units and clapped his hands, invoking the Force. The masked ninja's heads crashed into each other, rendering them unconscious.

Naruto smiled at the downed pair. _Shouldn't these ANBU be better than this?_

_~They are messing with a Shishō no Chikara, you know. And they don't have the Force to mask your chakra.~_ said Kyūbi, smiling nonetheless.

_I suppose_, thought Naruto, sliding open the door to the Hokage's library. Scrolls upon scrolls lay upon the shelves, untold amounts of knowledge locked within the rolls of paper.

Naruto stretched out with the Force, looking for the scroll with the marking Mizuki had showed him.

Two things shocked him: the first, the location of the scroll, which was on the bottom shelf on his right.

The second was a two and a half foot square hole in the wall, hidden by a Force illusion. A very powerful one, by the strength of the illusion.

_Kyūbi, am I imagining this?_

_~I see it, too. I also sense a Force repulsion field that keeps anyone from finding it. Very advanced.~_

_You know, you never told me how you met the masters of old._

_~This is not the time for story telling. I'll tell you later. Now, the guards are going to be here in thirty seconds, get a move on.~_

_Right,_ thought Naruto as he pulled the scroll from its place. Naruto turned and came face to face with Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Naruto, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?" he asked, puzzled at the sight of his surrogate grandson.

"Jijii, I would tell you, but I really got to go. So… go to sleep," he commanded, waving his hand in front of the elderly Kage's face.

The Sandaime's eyes rolled back in his head and collapsed. Naruto caught him and placed him gently on the ground.

_~Three seconds.~_

Naruto jumped out the window, leaving the Hokage for the ANBU. _Sorry Jijii_, thought Naruto as he ran through the forest.

_You'll understand when it's over._

**So... tell me what you think.**

**Also, the idea for Hinata's change of wardrobe is from . If you want to see it, search for Hinata Kunoichi of Genbu.**

**Quick update: A new poll will be opened shortly after this update. New stories have been added to my Idea Corner list. Go check it out and vote for the next story you want to see.**

**One last thing: the pairings for the Naruto/Blade crossover has not been decided. If anyone has any suggestions, send me a message.**

**Well, I think that's it.**

**Until next time...**


	7. Graduation Night

**Greetings, fellow authors and readers.**

**To VFSNAKE – Mizuki is screwed. You'll see.**

**To Dragon Man 180 – Unfortunately for all who had hoped so, the teams will be as seen in the canon. Messing up the teams makes too much of headache.**

**To the Dragonbard – Naruto's midichlorian count is over 30k. More powerful than Anakin Skywalker or Starkiller. Also, Naruto didn't use Mind Trick, he merely cut off the blood flow to the Hokage's brain for a few seconds. Cutting off the supply of blood flow to the brain will cause unconsciousness. Trust me, I know.**

**To Legend of Namikaze Naruto – VFSNAKE helped me choose red and black for Naruto's main lightsabers because we thought it would look bad-ass. Also, Naruto has only done Force lightning and a small show of telekinesis. He has a lot more in his repertoire. Like Force crush, choke, jump, speed… see where I'm going with this?**

**Thanks to all others who left comments.**

**For those who didn't… you know who you are… so do I!**

**Well, the poll is going well. For those who want to see the Naruto/Jumper X-over, you will be in luck if I don't get any more votes. If others want to see something else, check out the poll on my profile. It will run till late November or early December.**

**In the forest…**

_He'll be here soon, traitorous bastard,_ thought Naruto, landing twenty feet from the run down abandoned shack that was the meeting place. He took the scroll out of one of the storage seals on his arm and rolled it out.

_As long as I have this, I might as well take some good jutsu from it._ Naruto created a bunch of shadow clones and ordered them to begin copying. The original sat a distance away and began to meditate.

Images flashed through his brain.

Carnage. Destruction. Devastation. Konoha burning, its citizens dead or being hunted.

Naruto flinched at the images, looking away in an attempt to shield himself from the death and destruction. It did no good as the images intensified.

Shinobi and citizens cycled through his vision. Some he knew and many others he didn't. The Hokage's face drifted there for a moment, before being replaced by the faces of Hinata and Sasuke. All three of the faces were streaked with blood and dirt, contorted in throes of pain and death.

Naruto threw himself out of the trance, shaking like a leaf. The other clones looked over, wondering why he was like that. He waved them back to their work, pulling himself to his feet.

_Kyūbi, did you see that?_

_~Yeah, I did. Perhaps a vision of the future?~_

_Maybe,_ thought Naruto, drawing his sword and going through his Shien pattern, trying to stop himself from shaking. _It had seemed so real_.

_~Do not dwell on it. The Force has deemed it necessary to give us a glimpse of the future. Now, we will be prepared for whatever it is that will attack. Remember, Mizuki is coming.~_

Naruto sheathed his sword, turning to the clones. The held up smaller scrolls, each containing a small section of the forbidden scroll. He smiled as they tossed him the scrolls. _Now the scroll is copied. All that's left is to put one traitorous ex-chūnin in the ground._

_~Can I come out when that happens?~_

_Sure, why not? Let's introduce the bastard to a true demon._

After an hour, Iruka appeared before him. "Naruto! Why did you steal the scroll?"

"The reasons for my actions will be explained in time," replied Naruto, sensing Mizuki close in. _Excellent. I've wanted a battle with someone for some time now. Hopefully, he will be worth the challenge._

Mizuki landed thirty meters away, hidden by the tree leaves. _Iruka made it to him before I did? No matter, they'll both be dead soon,_ he thought, drawing a double handful of kunai.

Naruto tensed up, sensing the attack. Mizuki wasn't the stealthiest of ninja. Iruka sensed Mizuki as well, pushing Naruto out of the way of a wave of kunai. "Mizuki! What are you doing here?" he shouted, pinned against the wall of the shack.

"I'm impressed that you figured out where to go," said Mizuki, lowering his arms. _I am impressed that he took those kunai, especially for that demon-brat._

"So… now I understand. You want to steal the scroll!" shouted Iruka, ripping one of the kunai out of himself. _Damn, those hurt._

"No… really? Wow, you're a fucking genius. Naruto, give me the scroll."

"Naruto, protect the scroll. It holds the records of forbidden ninja arts!" shouted Iruka, pulling another kunai from his flesh.

"Even if you read it, you wouldn't understand the meaning of it," said Mizuki, beckoning Naruto forward. "I can show you what the true meaning of techniques."

"Shut up, you fool!"

"Naruto, do you know what happened fifteen years ago?" asked Mizuki.

"No, pray tell," said Naruto, feigning interest.

"The Hokage put out a decree, forbidding all the citizens of Konoha to speak of it. No one is allowed to tell you, under pain of death, that what you are… is the demon fox!"

"I'm the demon fox? The Kyūbi, no Kitsune? Really?" asked Naruto, veiled sarcasm in his voice. Naruto quickly formed a clone, which then took Kyūbi's form. "You mean him," he said, jerking his head towards Kyūbi, who waved at Mizuki with clawed fingers.

"Yo!"

"B-b-but how?" stuttered Mizuki, drawing his both fuma shuriken. "It has escaped?"

"No, he's helping me."

"Demon bastard! Die!" spat Mizuki, throwing his giant sized shuriken at both Naruto and Kyūbi.

"Naruto! Move!" shouted Iruka, struggling to free himself from the last of the kunai. Unfortunately for him, kunai were stuck in his clothes and flesh, pinning him to the wall. He could only watch as the shuriken flew through the air at his student and his prisoner.

Naruto and Kyūbi simply raised their hands, concentrated, and used the Force to stop the thrown weapons in midair. Kyūbi brought his closer, grabbed it and bent it in half before tossing it away. "Those shuriken aren't what they once were," he remarked, smiling a feral grin.

"What? What is this power?" asked Mizuki, staring slack jawed at the remaining floating weapon.

"I wield the Force, the chakra of the world," said Naruto, as he raised his hand and flicked his fingers, sending the shuriken hurtling back at its former wielder. Mizuki scrambled to avoid his returning weapon, throwing himself off the branch towards the ground.

"Even with these new powers, I can still kill you!" said Mizuki, drawing a wakizashi from his back.

A cracking noise was heard above him. He looked up in time to see the branch he was sitting on before snapped and hurtled towards the ground. He rolled out of the way, avoiding death by squashing.

"How did that happen?" he asked, staring at Naruto.

Kyūbi answered, smiling at the traitor's confusion. "The shuriken cut through most of the branch. The rest was up to gravity."

_A shuriken, not even thrown, cut through a two foot thick tree branch?_ Mizuki felt a twinge of fear as he turned back to Naruto.

"I'm gonna kill you," he said, charging forward, wakizashi held ready. Naruto smiled as Mizuki charged, crossing his arms beneath the wide arms of his cloak, fingers resting on his lightsaber seals.

Hinata and Sasuke gasped as Mizuki slashed at Naruto. _He didn't even defend himself!_

"Is he dead?" asked Hinata, who had covered her eyes.

"Uh… no! But what's he holding?"

Hinata looked up at Sasuke's question. Her eyes narrowed at what Naruto held in his hand.

Naruto had drawn his black lightsaber and sliced the blade from the hilt. The black blade glowed slightly in his hand, throwing off a small amount of illumination.

Just enough to show the horror on Mizuki's face.

Naruto pulled his second lightsaber from his arm seal. Igniting it, he held the blood-red and black blades in an X at Mizuki's throat.

"Now... who were you gonna kill?" asked Naruto, smiling above the crossed blades. "Hey, Kyūbi, care for a beat down?"

"I would love to," said Kyūbi, walking forward.

Naruto removed the blades from Mizuki's neck. Kyūbi began with a kick, sending Mizuki into the air.

"How does it feel? To be beaten? To be powerless to stop your attacker? To be weak? _Well_?" said Kyūbi, punctuating each word with a punch or kick. He continued for a few minutes, making the chūnin's face a bloody mess.

"Enough, Kyūbi," said Naruto, waving him off as he prepared for another savage kick. "Now, since I'm in a sporting mood, I'm gonna let you live... for the moment."

Naruto pointed towards the forest. "Let's see how far you can run... before I kill you."

Naruto raised his deactivated his lightsabers, smirking as he stared down at the near-petrified and bloody-faced chūnin. "Run. I'll give you a ten second head start."

Mizuki only got a few feet before he heard a _snap-hiss_ followed by a whirling sound. He turned back to locate the noise, only to find a spinning lightsaber flying rapidly through the air in an arc, aimed for his head.

"I started counting seven seconds ago," stated Naruto, the last thing Mizuki would ever hear as the lightsaber cut his head off.

Naruto sighed as the lightsaber tumbled through the air, carried by the Force. Snatching it out of midair, Naruto turned back to Iruka.

"Hold still," he said as he ripped the rest of the kunai out of the wall with the Force. Iruka flinched as every single kunai hung in the air as if suspended on wires in front of his face.

Naruto strode over and began laying his hands on Iruka's wounds. Iruka watched as his skin knit back together, leaving no indication there had once been a kunai blade embedded in his flesh.

"You know, for a chūnin instructor, catching those kunai should have been easy."

"Shut up. How was I supposed to know you were telekinetic?"

"Good point," said Naruto, finishing up on a particularly deep stab on Iruka's chest. He sighed as he turned away, looking at a tree about a hundred meters from the shack.

"You can come out now!" he called, sensing Sasuke and Hinata in the tree.

Hinata and Sasuke jumped out of the tree and walked towards Naruto, a slight amount of anger on his face. "How much did you hear?"

"Everything," said Sasuke. "Now we know why you wear that scarf in public. The whisker marks remind the villagers of Kyūbi."

"Yeah, pretty much," said Kyūbi, pushing off the tree he had leaned up against.

"Now, the topic of the Kyūbi is an S-class secret. If any of you reveal it or talk about it to anyone, you will be executed. Understood?" said Kyūbi, glaring at the three new possessors of Naruto's secret. "Personally, I always look forward to a good hunt, so feel free and try your luck."

"Enough! Kyūbi, seal the body and head in a scroll," commanded Naruto, sealing his lightsaber handles back into his arm seals. "I will understand if you two do not wish to be associated with me any longer, especially after this."

Silence reigned for a few moments before Hinata went over to Naruto and hugged him. "I love you. Why would I leave you? Because you have a demon sealed in you"

"Hey! I'm not that bad!"

"Shut up, Kyūbi!" chorused Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata and Iruka.

"Yeesh, tough crowd."

Hinata held Naruto tighter, tears in her eyes. "Now I know why you've had such a bad childhood."

"Those times are in the past now." When Hinata looked up at him, Naruto smiled at her. "All that matters is the now… with you."

Naruto looked up and stared at Iruka and Sasuke in turn. "With you as well."

"Hey! Don't I matter?" shouted Kyūbi, now hanging from a branch.

"Of course you do. You're the one who is the voice in my head. It gets kinda lonely in there."

Naruto took one last look around, smiling at his friends, before turning back to the village. He waved them forward, having them stand side by side.

"Let's go home."

**Back in the Hokage's office…**

The room was crowded and noisy, ninja calling for the Hokage's attention, asking permission to hunt the traitor.

_Damn it, Naruto_, thought Hiruzen, rubbing his temples in an attempt to ease his headache. _You just had to steal the scroll, didn't you?_

"Hokage-sama! We should kill the demon before he reaches the borders!"

"We can't let the scroll fall into enemy hands!"

"_Enough_!" shouted the Hokage, standing behind his desk radiating rage. "He said he will explain later. He will be back."

"Oh, good. A dramatic entrance," said Naruto, climbing through the window behind the Hokage. He pulled the scroll from his back and tossed it onto the desk. "One forbidden scroll, safe and sound."

The Hokage picked up the scroll and turned back to the assembled ninja in the room. "See? He brought it back."

"Why did he steal it in the first place?" asked a ninja from the back of the room, balancing a kunai on one finger.

"Good question. Naruto?"

Naruto, in answer, tossed the Hokage a second scroll. At Hiruzen's questioning glance, he said, "In the first seal."

The Hokage pulled the scroll open to the first seal written on it. Channeling a little chakra into the drawing, he unsealed it.

Upon the seal sprouted Mizuki's bloody head. The ninja assembled in the room took a collective gasp. Hiruzen turned to Naruto, once again displaying a questioning look.

"Mizuki approached me after I 'failed' the genin exam. He told me of a way to become a genin. By stealing the scroll and waiting for him at a shack in the middle of the forest, I would earn a spot in the ranks of the ninja of Konoha," said Naruto, gesturing to Mizuki's severed head.

"Iruka arrived on the scene, followed closely by Mizuki. Iruka was pinned to the wall by a wave of kunai, incapacitating him. I then fought Mizuki and killed him," explained Naruto, looking around at the ninja in the room. "Any questions?"

A ninja near the door snorted. "How can a brat like you, who didn't even pass the academy's exam, kill a chūnin?" he asked, scorn and skepticism present in his voice.

Naruto disappeared, instantly appearing before the ninja and pinning to the wall behind him by his throat.

"Feel that?" asked Naruto, tightening his grip. "This is a fraction of my power."

He paused for dramatic effect. "I find your lack of faith disturbing."

As the chūnin struggled to free himself, Naruto formed a half-seal with his left hand. Three other Narutos appeared, slipping into fighting stances. "Anyone else?"

"Naruto, release him," said the Hokage, shaking his head at the ninja's arrogance._ Why do most of my ninja have superiority complexes_?

"As you wish, Jijii," said Naruto, dropping the ninja with an air of contempt. He strode back behind the desk and leaned against the window frame, arms crossed.

"Anyone else have any questions about Naruto's loyalty?" asked the Sandaime, looking each of the ninja in the eye. None of them raised a hand or spoke up. "Dismissed."

The ninja left, using both the door and the window to exit. Once they had gone, the Sandaime turned to Naruto.

"So… how did you kill Mizuki?"

"Well, first I let Kyūbi beat the hell out of him, then I let him run, then I killed him with my lightsaber," replied Naruto, still leaning casually against the window sill.

"Lightsaber?" asked Hiruzen, once again confused.

Naruto put one hand up his sleeve and pulled his lightsaber from its seal. "This," he said, holding the silver-grey handle in his hand, "is a lightsaber."

"It doesn't look like much."

_~Neither do you.~_

_Shut up,_ thought Naruto as he thumbed the activation switch. With a _snap-hiss_ the glowing black blade sprang from the handle, surprising the hell out of the Sandaime.

"Now what do you say?" asked Naruto, performing a quick figure-eight, making the saber hum. "This is one of my hand-made saber. I also have a number of others that have been made by those who had the same powers as I."

"May I see it?" asked the Hokage, holding out his hand. Naruto deactivated the blade and tossed him the handle.

_It's deceptively simple. A bladeless handle that seems harmless._ Hiruzen examined the handle, noting that he felt no heat where the blade had been.

"The blade will cut through almost anything, except for a certain type of metal and another saber blade."

The Hokage nodded, still examining the weapon. "May I activate it?"

Naruto nodded, watching as the Hokage thumbed the switch, activating the saber's blade.

"The only thing that has weight is the handle? There is no counterbalance."

Naruto nodded again, holding out his hand. The blade floated out of Hiruzen's grip, then slapped into Naruto's.

"True. I have trained with these for about a year, so I know how to use them. It would take someone a lot longer if they've trained with a normal sword, even with Kage Bunshin," said Naruto, smiling as he twirled the saber around, making it hum deceptively lethal around his body.

"Very nice, Naruto. Now… since the neutralization of a traitor to the village and the recovery of a precious scroll would be considered an A-class mission, you will be awarded the correct amount."

Naruto smiled, accepting the voucher for his payment. He turned away to exit through the window but looked over his shoulder back at the Hokage.

"Iruka, Sasuke and Hinata know about Kyūbi."

With that statement lingering in the air, Naruto turned back to leap out the window.

"Naruto, aren't you forgetting something?" asked the HOkage, returning to his desk. At Naruto's questioning look over his shoulder, he tossed him a hitai-ate. "The graduating class will be at the academy tomorrow at eleven a.m. don't forget."

Naruto nodded once before leaping out the window, re-entering the darkness from which he came.

**The academy, 1045 hours…**

Naruto opened one eye, watching Iruka enter. He had arrived early and had been meditating when Iruka arrived. Iruka went to the desk and began pulling out papers. He looked up for a second, looking around the classroom, probably recalling good times in class.

He jumped as he saw Naruto sitting in his seat at the back of the class. "Naruto! Don't do that!" he shouted, clutching his chest as if his heart had skipped a beat.

"If you were more aware and less concerned about the good times that you've spent in the classroom, you would not be surprised to see me."

"Yeah, well… shut up," said Iruka, turning back to his papers.

A few of the minutes before class passed in silence, punctuated by the entry of other students. Within another few minutes, the classroom had filled with twenty of the twenty-seven graduates.

_Five… four… three... two… one._

Ino and Sakura came crashing through the door, trying to enter first. "I win," they shouted in unison before they began bickering. _Nothing unusual there._

Sasuke entered the class, striding past the two girls. They both stopped immediately, chorusing, "Good morning, Sasuke-kun!"

He ignored them, walked to the back of the room and sat next to Naruto.

Naruto glared at Sasuke out of the corner of his eye. "You shouldn't have followed me last night."

"We wanted to help you, just in case you needed help," whispered Sasuke, glaring back at Naruto. "A good ninja always has a back-up plan."

"Yeah, yeah. You found out something I would have rather kept secret."

"It's not that bad."

"Fine… you be the container for a hundred thousand year old demon and I'll be the pampered Uchiha heir. How's that sound?"

"Very funny. What was that weapon you used last night?"

"A sword," said Naruto, growing tired of the conversation. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall behind him, breathing evenly, falling into his meditation.

A floral scent wafted through the air. He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with the exquisite scent. _Jasmine… HInata-chan._ He opened his eyes to lock gazes with Hinata, her face an inch from his.

"Good morning, Hinata-chan."

"Good morning, Naruto-kun," replied Hinata, leaning in for a kiss.

Naruto reached across the desk and hugged her tightly, deepening the kiss.

"Get a room," said Sassuke, laying his head on the desk.

"Sasuke, when you get a girl, which better be soon, you will see how this is necessary."

"It is necessary to make your friend almost puke?" asked Sasuke, pretending to retch.

"Ha ha, funny," said Naruto as he pulled Hinata across the desk and into her seat as Iruka began going through hand seals. Thirteen hand seals later. Iruka shouted at the class.

"Shut the hell up!"

The class quickly came to attention, focusing their attention on Iruka. He picked up a clipboard off his desk and held it behind his back as he began to speak.

"Today, you begin your future as a ninja. The academy is behind you and even greater challenges are ahead," said Iruka, looking each student in the eye.

"The next step is the assignment of official duties to you on behalf of our village. We will begin by dividing you into three-man cells, which will be mentored by a jōnin. Your jōnin-sensei will guide and coach you as you become familiar with your various assignments."

Iruka held up his clipboard. "I made the selections so that each cell's abilities would be approximately even."

"Cell seven will be… Sasuke Uchiha… Haruno Sakura… and Uzumaki Naruto."

"What?" shouted Sakura, standing up. "Why are we getting the class dunce? He didn't even pass the gennin exam!"

"If you look closely, Haruno-san, you will see that Naruto has a hitai-ate."

The class turned as one to look at Naruto, who pulled down his collar to display the engraved metal on the side of his neck.

"Naruto aided in the capture and neutralization of a traitor last night. The Hokage awarded him a spot in the ninja ranks despite his failure in the exam."

"No way! Sasuke is the only one of us that could have done that. Naruto is too weak!" shouted Sakura, clearly in denial.

"Are you insinuating that the Hokage's trust in me is falsely placed?" asked Naruto quietly, maintaining a calm façade as he stared at Sakura.

"N-no."

"Then be quiet."

Sakura lapsed into silence as Iruka continued to list the teams.

Hinata was disappointed to hear that she was not on Naruto's team, but she was glad she was placed on a team with friends. Kiba and Shino looked back and smiled.

Well, Kiba did.

Ino, Shikamaru and Choji were placed on the same team. Shikamaru barely raised his head when his name was called while Choji continued to eat his chips at his traditional speed: Hyper-speed.

Ino began complaining mentally about getting paired up with the others, but changed her mind when she thought of how her jutsu worked well with the others.

With the teams set up, the graduating class broke for lunch. Naruto, Hinata and Sasuke gathered on the roof, away from prying eyes and ears.

"Since you know of Kyūbi, you might as well know some of my other well-kept secrets: my weapons for instance: they consist of the traditional weapons, including kunai, shuriken, katanas and other swords as well as senbon and several handmade weapons," said Naruto, pulling out a lightsaber handle and placing it on the ground between them.

"This is the weapon that you used last night, isn't it?" asked Hinata as she looked over the small piece of metal.

"Yes," said Naruto. "The handle emits a blade that is capable of cutting through almost anything. It's also a difficult weapon to master as the blade has no weight, offering no counterbalance like a regular sword."

Naruto quickly scanned the area with the Force. Sensing no ANBU units, teachers, or other possible unwelcome interruptions, he created a clone and Kyūbi did his body-snatching routine.

"Ah… it feels good to stretch."

"Kyūbi is going to tell you about the Masters of long ago, the ones who had my powers, my fighting styles and my weapons."

**Well, that's a wrap.**

**Tell me what you think.**

**The next chapter will be mostly flashbacks from Ky****ū****bi's past and a few from Naruto's time in Suna.**

**If you have any questions, comments, criticisms, or anything else, leave a review and I will answer you ASAP.**

**Until next time…**


	8. Memories

**Greetings, fellow authors and readers. **

**I would like to take a moment to apologize for my lack of updating. I had a Tae Kwon Do tourney I was practicing for and it took a lot of time out of my schedule. Now that it's done I will be focusing on my stories. **

**To VFSNAKE - Naruto and Kyubi versus Kakashi? Even going full out, Kakashi would have major trouble, and he's former ANBU. Maybe against Naruto one on one he might have a chance maybe. **

**To daemon - Naruto + Kage Bunshin = One-Man Army and years of training in just a few weeks. **

**To Legend of Namikaze Naruto - Still not talking about his powers much, not understanding what you mean. **

**To dbtiger63 - I am debating on Naruto giving Hinata and Sasuke the ability to use the Force. **

**To FumetsuKaji - The 'Pink Thing?' Oh, what to do, what to do? Kill her off? Make her have a U-turn? The possibilities are very intriguing. **

**To Jayaj Namikaze - Yay_ I've inspired somebody. This is such a touching moment. *Sniff* I think I'm going to cry… Ahem. **

**To Hartha - Naruto is going to face some challenges in the future that will require much more than just a lightsaber. Take Zabuza for example. His sword is going to be made out of... I'm not going to tell you. **

**To Dragon Man 180 - I have seen so many stories where Naruto gets teamed up with Hinata or whomever else he has a love/interest with and it just screams to me: Too Easy! Also, the academy was focusing on academic knowledge. Pfft, like that's gonna help her in the field. **

**To Dragon Noir - First - Sasuke has changed from the vengeful person he was to be a warm and caring person. He still hates his brother, but has learned to fight for something is better than fighting to kill someone. If he meets Itachi, he will bring retribution, not vengeance. There is a difference. **

**Second - The Cache will be seen soon enough, as will the pranks. Naruto and his army of himself have been preparing for a while now. **

**Third - What to do with the 'Pink Thing'. I like the idea of Kyubi's boot camp from hell and the idea of "bashing the useless pathetic fangirl that she is" as well. **

**To Angel of Dark Intuition - Good to hear that you're excited for the next chapter. Makes me work harder. Sorry I spoiled your idea. **

**To alexa-catta123 - Zabuza and Haku will live. Both of them are in my top ten favorite character list. Yes, I will do the wave mission but I will also give them another mission before that. **

**Thanks to all others who left comments. **

**For those who didn't… you know who you are… so do I! **

**Oh, god, too many questions! **

**The Poll will end on November 30. Those who want to see the Jumper X-over, you're in luck... as long as fifteen more people don't vote for something else. **

**Ahem… On with the Fic! **

Kyubi smiled as he began his tale.

**Three hundred years ago… **

Kyubi walked through the forests of Hi no Kuni, decked out in a mottled green cloak, a red no-sleeved shirt with the kanji for nine on the left breast and a pair of black pants with a red stripe along the seam. He was enjoying the breeze and the scenery. The birds were singing, the tree branches brushing against each other, and the bees were humming.

_Wait... I don't smell bees..._

Kyubi turned off the path and headed deeper into the forest, searching for the source of the strange humming. The humming was accompanied by clashing sounds, increasing Kyubi's curiosity.

He reached out his hand and moved a leafy branch out of his path. His eyes widened at the sight of two people battling each other.

Both were throwing pieces of the scenery at each other, using the terrain to their advantage. What Kyubi noticed right away was they were not using their hands to toss the logs and rocks.

_What the hell?_

He took a closer look at their weapons, which seemed to be the source of the humming sound. Blades seemingly made of light tangled and buzzed as they attacked with ferocity, as if they were going for each other's throats. _This keeps getting weirder and weirder,_ thought Kyubi, watching through the bushes.

A log came crashing through the bushes beside him, nearly making him jump fifty feet in the air. He took a deep breath as one of the combatants unleashed a lightning storm upon the other, making her dodge, one handed cart wheeling to the side as she thrust the other hand at his chest, making him crash into a tree. He pulled himself out of the tree before throwing his humming blade at the woman, spinning through the air in an arc.

"Not bad," he said, watching her dodge his throw by leaning back into a bridge. "Too bad you've lost."

"Really?" asked the woman, resuming her recently interrupted upright position. "I think you are seriously mistaken."

"Behind you."

Kyubi looked behind her head and noticed a floating metal cylinder, like the handles of the glowing weapons. He looked back to the man as he grinned, smirking in victory.

The woman smiled, pointing behind him. He looked over to see three other metal cylinders, hovering inches from his face.

"I win," she said, slicing behind her with her glowing blue blade, cutting the cylinder behind her in half with a half-hearted swing.

"Fine," said the man, tossing his saber on the ground, a playful grin across his face.

He shot out a hand and pulled it back, acting as if he had pulled an invisible rope, his eyes closed and brow furrowed in concentration.

Kyubi had begun to wonder what the gesture meant when the woman flew towards the man, as if a rope had been tied to her belt and had been pulled with great force.

The man caught the woman and pulled her into a passionate kiss, hugging her tight against his body. She returned the kiss with the same fervor.

Kyubi shifted his feet, turning around to leave. He took a step forward only to hear a crack. He looked down to see the splintered remains of a twig.

_Aw, shit!_

Kyubi had barely finished the thought as a pair of tree trunks crashed through the foliage, aimed at him. Kyubi's eyes widened as he went on the evasive, jumping straight up into the boughs of the tree above.

Both of the mysterious combatants burst through the bushes, looking for the source of the noise, who was currently hanging upside down above their heads. Both the woman knelt and lifted one of the logs, looking for a corpse.

Not finding a corpse, the woman shook her head at the man. He closed his eyes and furrowed his brow in concentration.

Kyubi felt a touch in his mind, as if he had submersed his head in ice-cold water. At the same time, the man looked straight up, meeting Kyubi's yellow eyed stare.

"Uh... hi?"

The man threw his sword at Kyubi, its blade humming through the air. Kyubi stepped left, still upside down, away from the tree. The blade flashed past.

Kyubi suddenly felt a feeling of weightlessness. He also noticed that the pair below him was growing closer at an alarming rate. He looked down and saw a burnt edge, formerly attached to the tree.

_Shit again!_

Kyubi crouched on the rapidly descending branch and launched himself into the clearing. He heard the two nin follow him, landing behind him in attack stances.

Kyubi turned to face his opponents as he pulled off his traveling cloak and tossed it aside, drawing a pair of short swords from sheaths strapped to his sides. Holding both blades in a reverse grip, he dropped into his attack stance.

The man pointed his blade at the ground, holding it one-handed in a loose grip, tracing a figure eight in the grass. His red blade added a sinister glow to his dark leather clothes. The blade hummed as he walked forward, bringing it back over one shoulder to perform a slash.

The woman held a blue blade in a reverse grip, crouched low to the ground, almost emulating his stance. Her blade threw blue light against her clothes, changing the near-white to cerulean. She drifted left, moving slowly as not to attract attention.

Kyubi raised his blades into an x-block, anticipating the overhand slice. The man smiled as he swung.

_My saber will cut through those puny blades. He's dead. He just doesn't know it yet._

Much to his surprise, Kyubi parried the blow with his knives. He pushed the saber to the right with one sword and struck out with the pommel of the blade in his right. The man, caught by surprise, didn't react fast enough and received a hilt to the solar plexus. His breath whooshed out as Kyubi spun around behind him and placed a dagger at his throat.

"Sorry about this," said Kyubi, preparing to slice open the man's jugular.

The woman appeared out of nowhere, using her saber to slice Kyubi's arm off with a perfect Cho Sun. It fell to the ground, the severed end burned by the saber, smoke rising from it.

Kyubi leaped back, putting twenty feet between him and his opponents. He looked down at the remainder of his right arm. "Ouch."

The pair's eyes bugged out. _His arm has been severed and all he says is 'ouch'?_

Kyubi laughed, shrugging his shoulders to loosen his muscles.

"Shall we begin again?" he said, smirking at the pair. Their eyes bugged out further as his arm regenerated before their eyes.

Kyubi flexed his arm, checking that he had regenerated every muscle correctly. He looked back at the pair. "What? Never met a demon before?" he asked, reeling in a chakra thread to retrieve his fallen blade.

"A demon? Which tail are you?" asked the woman, straightening from her attack stance, though her blade was still active.

"I am Kyubi no Kitsune," he replied, drawing himself up to his full height, plastering a feral smirk across his face. "Who are you, _human_?"

The man strode forward, placing himself between Kyubi and the woman. "I am Takanomo Sagan. This is my wife, Aiko. Why were you spying on us?"

Kyubi replaced his swords into his rib-sheaths. "I was just walking along when I heard the humming of your weapons. At first, I thought it was just bees. With no bees around, I decided that there might be something interesting around. I guess I was right."

"You gonna be hostile?" asked Sagan, raising his saber and adopting a new stance, prepared if Kyubi chose to attack.

"No, I'm not. I am curious, however, about the nature of your weapons and powers," said Kyubi, walking over to where his cloak laid across a bush. Shrugging back into it, he walked over to the couple.

"I swear on my honor as a demon lord I will not attack you unless provoked. Do we have an accord?" he said, holding out his hand.

Sagan deactivated his saber and clasped hands with the demon lord. "Deal."

"Excellent! Now, shall we sit and talk a while? I have traveled far and am somewhat weary of non-stop travel."

**Present… **

"So you trained with them, learning how to use the Force and then left?" asked Hinata, staring at Kyubi. "That's it?"

"Yes. I didn't meet up with them until five years later… when I killed Sagan," said Kyubi, a frown darkening his face.

**Two hundred and ninety-five years ago… **

Kyubi was practicing with his dual short swords, still trying to get the hang of the Jar'Kai style Aiko had taught him five years ago. After five years of practice, he still had a lot to learn if he were to ever become a master of this art.

He froze as a presence entered the circle of his perception. It felt vile, foul, as if the filth of a thousand years stained the soul of the person approaching.

_Maybe a former master who fell into darkness, like Sagan had told me about_, thought Kyubi, straightening from his Jar'Kai form to stand with his blades clasped loosely at his sides.

The abominable aura came closer, entering the clearing opposite to Kyubi. Clad in black leather, his face was shadowed by the evening sun.

"Kyubi," it said, the voice raspy and coarse. "It has been too long."

"I would remember a soul so foul. You are no friend of mine. Leave. I have no need of your taint."

The cloaked figure laughed, doubling over at Kyubi's words. "Don't know me? I trained you_" he shouted, throwing back his hood.

Kyubi's eyes widened as he looked upon his former teacher, Sagan. His eyes had turned a sinister yellow, his face wrinkled, and his hair dead-looking and white. His clothes remained the same, though they shimmered ominously with dark power. "What has happened to you? When I left you, you were with Aiko, your soul pure, filled with purpose."

"I found a new power, one that overwhelms the power of the Light. The Dark side of the Force," Sagan said, throwing away his cloak and calling the saber off his belt into his hand. It activated, extending the red blade Kyubi remembered so well.

"Let's see if you've lost your skill," said Sagan, disappearing.

Kyubi raised a blade above his head, blocking the descending saber, the blade supported by his forearm. "The problem with your saber is that when push comes to shove, I can support my blades. You can't," said Kyubi, using his other hand to slash at Sagan's unprotected torso.

Sagan jumped back quickly, disappearing once again, avoiding the slash. "You're still too slow, Kyubi_ You'll have to move faster than that…"

Kyubi smiled as he, too disappeared. He reappeared in an instant behind his opponent, smiling as he tapped the flat of his blade on Sagan's shoulder. "You really want me to move faster? _Really?_"

"Go to hell, Kitsune-teme!" spat Sagan as he spun through a quick three-sixty, attempting to take off Kyubi's arm. Kyubi smiled as he sped to the left, leaving an afterimage for Sagan to cut.

"Ooh… resorting to name calling already? You call yourself a Master?" said Kyubi, kicking Sagan in the ribs, releasing his chakra at the instant of contact to send him flying through the air. Sagan felt pain blossom in his chest as his ribs cracked.

"Ouch. That's gotta hurt," said Kyubi, using one hand to shade his eyes as Sagan crashed into a tree. "Want to try again?"

"That was a fluke! A miracle! You'll never be able to do that again," shouted Sagan, calling more lightsabers off his belt. The handles floated in mid-air, activating in unison. "My powers have doubled since we last met."

Kyubi looked at the forest of sabers and grinned.

"Good. Twice the pride, double the fall."

The blades flew at Kyubi, spinning through the air like pinwheels of death. Sagan himself charged Kyubi along with his other blades, hoping that the barrage of blades would beat down his defenses long enough for him to land a killing blow.

Kyubi dropped into a Soresu stance and seemed to effortlessly bat away the sabers. He smiled as he crossed blades with Sagan himself, sneering at his former teacher over the lethal saber blade. "When I left you I was but the learner, but, now, I am the Master."

"I will kill you," growled Sagan, pushing Kyubi's blade up, using the Force to call a lightsaber blade towards Kyubi's chest.

Kyubi disappeared, causing Sagan to stumble at the loss of opposite pressure. Kyubi appeared atop a tree, crouched with both blades at his side.

"Do not attempt to fight me further, Sagan. You're powers are no match for me," said Kyubi, his face grim. He sensed the end of the duel was close, though he regretted what he may be forced to do.

"You understate my power," replied Sagan, approaching the tree while still on the ground. Kyubi sensed him gather the Force, no doubt preparing for a Force-powered leap.

"Don't try it, Sagan. I do not want to kill you," said Kyubi, straightening from his crouch. He replaced his blades in their respective chest sheaths before pulling a metal cylinder from the back of his neck. With the push of a button, a green blade extended from the handle accompanied by a snap-hiss.

Sagan growled, glowering at Kyubi from his low position. He with a grunt of effort, he launched himself at Kyubi.

Kyubi sighed, knowing this was the end, and executed a hated move: the Mou Kei. He swept his blade, quickly slashing four times in the air, dismembering Sagan with circular motions of his saber. Sagan bounced off the tree branch, unable to stay on top of the branch due to lack of limbs. He landed on the ground with a thump, closely followed by the four thumps accompanying the descent of his arms and legs.

"Told you," said Kyubi, looking down at the screaming Sagan, his body writhing in pain on the ground below, screaming bloody murder.

"I hate you!" shouted Sagan, squirming around in the dirt, agony making his body arch.

Kyubi jumped down to stand above his former teacher. With a look of pity, he lifted his saber, the green illuminating the sadness on his face. "Good bye, old friend.."

With a quick slash, a text book Sai Cha, Sagan's head rolled free of his body. Dark power exploded from his corpse, sending Kyubi across the clearing. He looked up in time to see the corpse of his former friend and teacher burn to ash, consumed by the dark power released by his death.

Kyubi hung his head, tears forming in his eyes. _I should have been able to solve it without his death._

"No, you couldn't have," said Aiko, appearing at his side, grief apparent on her face. "I tried to make him come back to the light, but the Dark side had to strong of a hold on him. I wish it could have ended differently."

"So do I, Aiko. So do I," said Kyubi, drawing his short blades. Using the Force, he dug a quick grave and put Sagan ashes in it. After covering the tomb, Kyubi stuck both blades into the earth.

Kyubi and Aiko walked away, leaving the blades as a marker for their comrade's grave.

Words were carved onto the blades, done by Kyubi before he turned away.

_In memory of Sagan, a loving husband, a good friend, and a Shisho no Chikara._

**Present… **

"Those blades are still in the forest, marking his place for all of time," said Kyubi, looking at each in turn. "Remember this warning: the dark side is seductive, seemingly more powerful and very corrupted."

"I have only heard of someone turning back from the Dark side once," he said, looking sideways at Naruto, yellow eyes watching his reaction.

"I'll keep that in mind," growled Naruto, twisting to stretch his back as he glared back at Kyubi. After his back had popped a few times, he looked at Hinata and Sasuke, who shared looks of confusion. "Thanks a lot, Kyubi."

"Don't mention it."

Naruto sighed. "When I was in Kaze no Kuni, I made a little name for myself," he said, pulling a bamboo flute from a seal on the shoulder of his cloak. He placed it on the ground, a frown marring his features.

"I got this in my travels in Kaze no Kuni. I turned to the Dark side."

**Seven weeks ago… **

A caravan trundled through the desert, delivering supplies to the Sunagakure. The sand made it hard for the wagons to be moved, but they had to make do.

On the other side of a sand dune, a group of twenty men stood, waiting for their lookout's signal. Once the sentry signaled them, they would charge over the dune and loot the caravan.

A sharp whistle sounded through the desert. Hearing the signal, the men sprang over the dune, drawing katana and other types of blades.

"Incoming_" shouted one of the caravan's guards, drawing his sword. The four other guards swarmed to his sides, drawing their weapons as well. As a united front, they faced the enemy, knowing they didn't stand a chance.

The band of thieves threw themselves down the slope and engaged the guards, using the numbers to overwhelm. While three or four would distract one guard, a fifth would circle around and backstab the guard.

In the end, the bandits lost five and the guards were dead. The civilians shook in fear as the bandits began to loot one of the wagons.

One bandit walked over to another wagon and threw back the covering. He smiled as he saw a woman and her daughter, grasping each other in fear. "What do we have here?" he asked of himself, a disgusting leer on his face.

Distracted by the repulsive fantasies bouncing about in his head, he didn't notice a sandy colored figure rise up beside him, a leather mask covering his eyes. Through a slit, blue eyes could be seen, anger and revulsion in his gaze.

Without mercy, Naruto cleared his blade and stabbed the man through the heart, his blade emerging from the other side of the man coated red with the life-giving liquid.

The woman and her daughter screamed, trying to scoot further back into the shadows of the cart. The noise alarmed the other bandits and made them approach. Naruto pushed the man off his blade and turned to face the other bandits. Bowing his head, he raised his hand and flicked his fingers.

The sand beneath their feet sprang into the air, blinding them as they charged Naruto. Their visibility was reduced to a few feet in any direction.

"Where the fuck is he?" shouted one of the bandits, peering in vain to try and discern friend from foe. He heard a whirling sound before his head dropped off his shoulders, eyes dead to the world.

The mother and daughter flinched as each new scream of agony split the air, unable to see anything because of the abrupt sandstorm.

After three minutes, the sandstorm began to die out; slowing as quickly as it had come. The daughter and her mother pushed aside the flap of the wagon and looked out.

Naruto shook sand from his hair, pulling off the mask he wore to allow him to see in the Force-created sandstorm. _I really should put some seals into my cloak that will repulse sand._

The other civilians peered out of their wagons, seeing the carnage wrought by a single man. The bandits lay in heaps on the ground, their blood staining the golden sand crimson. Heads, hands and legs lay distances from their owners, leaking blood onto the ground.

One of the civvies puked, others looked on in horror as the death-bringer turned back to them.

"Relax. I am not here to harm you."

"Who are you?" asked the caravan leader, trying to look threatening but failing miserably due to his beer gut wobbling with every step forward. A squelch was heard as he stepped in front of Naruto.

"Watch out for that guy's brain," said Naruto, looking down at the leaders feet. The fat man leapt back, trying to see his foot but was unable to see it due to the afore-mentioned gut.

"I was merely passing along when I noticed your caravan. Since your guards were dead, I thought I might lend a hand," said Naruto, sliding his sword into its back sheath.

"Uh… well… um… on behalf of my caravan and my passengers, I thank you, Gaijin-sama," said the leader, bowing as much as he was able.

Naruto surveyed the damage, noting a few destroyed boxes. "Since you have no defenses, I will accompany you to Sunagakure."

"Arigato, Gaijin-sama. Move out!" shouted the leader. The caravans creaked into motion, beginning to move once again towards their destination.

Naruto created ten clones, much to the surprise of one of the civvies. _Kage Bunshin?_ thought the man, thinking of his time amongst the ninja villages.

The journey was quick and uneventful, no other ambushes awaiting them.

The caravan passed over a dune, within sight of the walls of Sunagakure. Naruto turned to the leader. "You will be safe now."

"Arigato, Gaijin-sama."

Naruto turned to wander back out into the desert, but he stopped short due to a mother and her daughter blocking his path. They bowed to him, saying, "Arigato, Gaijin-sama."

"Please, stop bowing to me," said Naruto, replacing his mask. "I was able to help. Therefore, I did. Simple as that."

The daughter reached behind her back and pulled a flute from her obi. She held it up to him in silent offering. Naruto smiled as he knelt down to her eye level. "Arigato, young one."

**Present... **

"When did you turn? You saved the caravan. You didn't fall prey to the Dark side." said Sasuke, confused once again.

"What happened afterwards was the problem."

**Back in the past again... **

Three days later, Naruto was running through the desert, his physical training upped once again by Kyubi. _Note to self: Rethink Kyubi's control of my physical training regimen. End note._

A smell drifted across his path, filling his nose with a familiar scent: the bitter, metallic smell of spilt blood. _Something has happened. I should check it out._

Gathering the Force and leaping over a number of dunes, Naruto landed in the sand, stained blood red by the blood of the innocent's bodies laid out before him.

_I know this man,_ thought Naruto as he crouched next to one of the corpses. _He was one of the caravan merchants._

A feeling of dread filled him as he began to recognize more and more of the deceased. His pace quickened as he found more familiar faces, their voices forever silenced.

He stopped before a pile of corpses covered by a tarp, their accumulated blood bleeding through the cloth.

_Please… don't let it be them,_ thought Naruto as he pulled back the tarp.

The bodies of the women who accompanied the caravan lay beneath the tarp, their throats slashed, some so deep they were nearly decapitated. Their clothing was torn and ragged, slashed as if someone had taken a blade to them.

Through a torn kimono, bruises could be seen, slashes from blades on arms and legs, and hand-shaped bruises on faces.

Naruto inhaled again. _There!_ _Another scent… blotted out by the blood… Semen?_

Naruto's mind clicked, the pieces falling into place. _If I am not mistaken, these women have been raped! What animal would do this?_

Naruto felt a new power, something darker, sinister almost, rise up from within him. _What is this? My anger… is fueling my Force connection?_

Naruto grinned, feeling the power that this new source gave him. He looked up at a wagon and caught his reflection in a shattered mirror.

His eyes were a sulfuric yellow, not even close to Kyubi's yellow, something sinister and evil. The only problem was that Naruto didn't care.

_I will find who did this… and destroy them!_

Naruto recovered the bodies and turned back to the desert, stretching out with his feelings to find the evil ones who would stain their hands with the blood of the innocent.

_Ahh, there they are,_ thought Naruto, swiveling to face west. _My prey is waiting; it would be a shame to keep them waiting._ Naruto disappeared, ripples flowing through the air as he shot off to find the murderers.

_Their time is about to run out._

**Later that day… **

Naruto stumbled into the cave, exhausted, both physically and mentally. Kyubi looked up from the scrolls he and the other Kage Bunshin were reading, taking in the beaten-up look about Naruto.

"What happened?" he asked, walking over to duck under Naruto's arm, half-carrying him to his bed. "Didn't I tell you not to overdo it?"

Naruto just looked at Kyubi, a flicker of darkness across his face. Kyubi stepped back, having seen that look before. "Or was it something else?"

"You remember the caravan I helped?" asked Naruto, staring at the floor.

"Yeah, you saved them from a group of bandits. What about it?"

"They're dead," said Naruto, pulling the flute from his shoulder seal. He looked at it for a moment before playing a haunting melody.

After Naruto had finished the song, Kyubi asked, "What happened?"

"Found them in the desert while I was doing laps. Bodies strewn about, blood everywhere. Anything not worth stealing was destroyed in one way or another. But that's not the worst part," said Naruto, his grip on the rock of the cave tightening to the point that dust began to float down.

Kyubi's thoughts ran straight to the worst case scenario. "The women of the caravan… they were raped, weren't they?"

"Yeah," replied Naruto, tears beginning a descent down his cheeks. "Even the girl who gave this to me. Raped, then killed."

"Where are the fuckers?" said Kyubi, drawing his lightsabers. "Not even a truly evil demon would do such a thing. I'm gonna kill them!"

"I already took care of it."

Scenes of violence flashed through Kyubi's head, Naruto using the Force to send him his memories.

Ten minutes of memories flowed into Kyubi's head. Kyubi turned to Naruto, raising the saber handle. "The power you used… it was the Dark side!"

"I know… I used it for good though! I wiped those pathetic wastes from this world! It was an act of good!"

"Wrong," said Kyubi, pinning Naruto against the wall with one hand while readying the saber with the other. "That is just the beginning. Next, you will thirst for battle. Destruction and death will be your path. You think it will be for the good of the world, but, in reality, you are only causing harm. No light can come forth from the Dark side. Only the Light can help the world."

Naruto hung his head, his tears redoubling. He slumped down against the wall, the actions of the day overwhelming him. "I'm sorry," he choked out. "I'm sorry I turned my back on what you taught me."

"You came back, though. I've never seen someone come back from the shadow ways. How did you do it?"

Naruto got up and went to the entrance of the cave. "The reason I gave up the Dark side was because of one person," he said, looking out at the setting sun. "That person was…"

**Present… **

"You," he finished, looking directly at Hinata.

**That's a wrap.**

**Translations:**

**Cho Sun –A lightsaber move in which a Master cuts off the opponents weapon arm. **

**Mou Kei –A lightsaber technique in which a Master uses circular motions to attack the major limbs of an enemy. Used as a last resort. **

**Sai Cha –A beheading saber technique. Used as a last resort. **

**Tell me what you think in the form of a review. **

**Until next time…**


	9. Team Seven

**Greetings, fellow authors and readers.**

**To alexa-catta123 – Naruto, Sasuke and the pink thing will have a different C-rank mission. They will be sent to reinforce Hinata's team. Haku will be a girl. No guy is that beautiful. Maybe be paired with Sasuke, still thinking on it.**

**To Reeder – I just felt like writing it that way. Now, looking back, I think that I will not be doing that any more. The reason Light users can kill all they want is because they kill for the defense of others. Kyubi is a follower of the Light side because he is a good demon, plus he has seen the damage a Dark user can do to a person or village. Some demons go bad. He didn't. He will, however, use Dark side attacks, like lightning, since the intent is what matters.**

**Thanks to all others who left comments. **

**For those who didn't… you know who you are… so do I!**

**Ahem… On with the Fic!**

"Me? You turned your back on the Dark side for me?" asked Hinata, gaping at her boyfriend. Sasuke was undergoing a similar reaction, though he recovered quickly and rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, pretty much," said Naruto dismisively, as if it was no big deal. "I finished killing the bandits and was searching for someone else to kill. I found a caravan, all set up for the night. I could have killed them," Naruto said, shuddering at the memory. He came so close to slaughtering the innocent he scared himself. He took a breath and calmed himself then continued.

"But something stopped me. A memory of a young woman, someone who was the first person, other than the Hokage, to show me kindness," said Naruto, returning his flute to the seal on his shoulder. He smiled at her in his fox-like way, eyes filled with love. Kyubi was doing the same, minus the love part. "That is what brought me back."

He stood and offered his hands to his friends. "Come on, lunch is over in a minute. We have to get back," he said, pulling them to their feet. After a quick kiss from Hinata, they jumped off the roof. Naruto used the Force to give himself some momentum, turning several flips in midair. Hinata rolled her eyes at his antics, smiling at her boyfriend.

Using the Force, Naruto rebounded off the air itself and caught Hinata in his arms. He landed on one knee, light on his feet like a cat, Hinata safe in his arms.

Sasuke was shaking his head, amused at the couple's antics. _You would think I would get used to the sappiness of those two_, he thought as he landed in the same way, crouched like a predator on the hunt.

"Sasuke-kun!" shouted a crowd of fan-girls, Sakura and Ino at the head of the horde. All the girls had hearts in their eyes, staring dreamily at the object of their affection.

"Oh, for the love of Kami!" muttered Sasuke under his breath. Looking back at Hinata and Naruto, who were now leaning against the wall in each other's arms, he said, "I'll be back in a sec. Gotta lose the pests."

Sasuke shot off, leaving a dust trail behind him and a mass of fan-girls chasing him and declaring their undying love. Naruto and Hinata were smirking as the true Sasuke un-Henge'd from the pebble he'd used as a cover.

"Naruto, I have to thank you, once again, for teaching me shadow clones," said Sasuke, bowing slightly to Naruto. Naruto smirked, lifted Hinata and began carrying her to the classroom, via the scenic route. "Don't mention it."

"Oh, Hell no! I know that look! Get your asses in gear! I am not missing Genin assignment because you two are making out!" said Sasuke, pulling Naruto away by his collar, forcing him to let go of his lavender-eyed love. Hinata giggled as Naruto stared up at Sasuke, pouting slightly at the loss of his special time with Hinata.

The group of three entered the class a minute before the bell went, as did several others, including Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru and Choji. At the bell, there were a few people missing. Most noticeable absences: almost all the female students.

After the bell rang, Sasuke began to twitch violently. HInata stared at him, wondering what could make her friend twitch that badly. She looked over to her blonde love and noticed he was shaking as well, though his shakes were due to withholding laughter.

"What? What happened?" asked Hinata, staring at Naruto. Naruto only shook harder, now violently shuddering. HInata glared at Naruto, making him swallow his laughter. After a few seconds, he pushed his laughter back to reply.

"Sasuke's clone got captured by the fan-girls."

Every person present winced, barely able to imagine such torture. Iruka wrote a note on his clipboard to suggest fan-girl exposure to any ninja undergoing interrogation.

**Interrogation room…**

Ibiki, known as 'The Sadist', looked up from an Iwa-nin he was currently working on. He smiled; sensing things were going to become much more painful for his subjects. "I sense a disturbance in the Force," he said, reiterating a line he heard from a certain blonde.

**Back at the academy…**

The class had finally been rounded up, all useless fan-girls found. _I wish they would have just let them die somewhere_, thought Naruto, shaking his head. _Fan-girls like Sakura give all kunoichi a bad name._ _When those girls get out into the field… if they make it that far… they're gonna get themselves killed or worse._

Iruka was working at his desk as Jonin instructors began to come into the room, looking for their teams. Iruka would converse with them for a minute or two before calling out their teams.

A woman with black hair walked in, wearing a battle dress that seemed to be made of one sheet of cloth with an odd black pattern to it. She had one red sleeve on her right arm while the other was bare, both hands wrapped in bandages from the elbow to her knuckles.

She chatted with Iruka for minute before turning to look over the Genin with her piercing red eyes. "Team Eight! This is your sensei, Yuhi Kurenai," said Iruka, calling her team.

Shino, Kiba and Hinata stood and began walking over to Kurenai. Hinata looked back when she stopped in front of her sensei alone, wondering where her teammates were.

"Kiba, Shino, take care of her for me, okay?" asked Naruto, leaning over the desk to talk to his friends.

Kiba and Shino both nodded. Naruto knew they would look after her, both having the air of brotherly protectiveness about them. They would defend her to the death and Kami help the poor soul who decided to mess with the combined might of Aburame Shino and Inuzuka Kiba.

The two teens walked over to their teacher and left. Naruto leaned back and sighed as he watched his love walk out of the room, observing the gentle sway of her hips as she left. The door closed behind her, leaving Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura alone with Iruka.

After three hours, Naruto had begun tapping a pencil against the desk, waiting for his tardy sensei. The sounds of the pencil echoed through the classroom, starting to annoy the pink-haired banshee.

_~Remain calm, Naruto. We can always kill him later.~_ said Kyubi, noting how bored his host was becoming. _I better get him doing something soon. Bad things happen when he's bored._

_What happens if he is a she?_ asked Naruto, picking up speed with his tapping, sensing the kunoichi of the team growing close to the snapping point.

Naruto cracked a grin as Kyubi began to ponder this newest conundrum. _~What to do, what to do… Hey! Someone approaches!~_

_Pray to Kami it's our sensei,_ thought Naruto as Sakura chose this moment to speak up, and when Sakura speaks up, it's usually a banshee-like shriek.

"Naruto, stop tapping already! If you tap that pencil one more time, I'll send you to the hospital!"

**Outside the classroom…**

Hatake Kakashi, former ANBU captain, Jonin of Konoha, dressed in black clothing and the Chunin flak vest with his hitai-ate over his left eye, walked down the corridor towards the classroom that held his newest batch of students. _Hopefully, they will be better than the last set I attempted to train,_ he thought, reaching for the door handle.

"Naruto, stop tapping already! If you tap that pencil one more time, I'll send you to the hospital!" Kakashi froze as he heard the threat towards his little friend.

The tapping stopped.

As Kakashi opened the door, the tapping began once again, three times faster.

Kakashi suddenly found himself on the receiving end of a punch, sending him crashing into a desk. He looked over his attacker, a pink haired Haruno kunoichi, who was now rubbing her fist after glancing it off his hitai-ate. He looked back to the door to see Naruto disguising a laugh as a cough. A look to the left found an Uchiha grinning, his black eyes alight with amusement.

Kakashi picked himself up and walked over to Naruto, giving an evil glare as he did so. Staring at Naruto with his uncovered eye, he asked, "Team seven?"

"Yep. Uzumaki Naruto, at your service, _Inu-sensei._ How'd the Kawarimi feel?"

Kakshi was shocked at Naruto, not expecting him to recognize him so easily. He hid his surprise, placing his hand on his chin in a thinking position. "My first impression of you all…"

"I hate you," he said, causing the Haruno to slump on the desk. Sasuke and Naruto, however, looked happy. _I sense a disturbance in the Force,_ thought Kakashi, looking at his two male students. "Meet me on the roof," he said before using a Shunshin to disappear.

**The roof…**

Kakashi pulled out his prized orange book and began reading. _It'll take them a few minutes to get up here. Might as well enjoy it._

"Boo!"

Kakashi shot up into the air, easily jumping thirty feet in the air. As he traveled upwards, he looked down to see his opponent, someone who had enough skill to sneak up on him without his knowledge.

"You know, if we were in the field, you'd have been dead," called Naruto, smirking at the successful prank, clothing flapping around in the wind.

"Funny, Naruto, very funny."

"I thought so. So… what are we doing up here?" he asked, looking around at the village. His eyes fell on the Hokage Monument, looking over the four faces, stopping at the fourth's face. _I'll make you proud, Tousan._

"I thought it would be good to get to know one another, share likes and dislikes."

"Sure… here comes Sasuke and Haruno," said Naruto, turning to look at the stairs.

Sasuke walked calmly up the stairs, acting as if he had been walking for thirty seconds rather than five minutes, up stairs. Sakura, however, was gasping for breath, hanging onto the hand rail.

Kakashi, Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other before shaking their heads. _I have a lot of work cut out for me_, thought Kakashi, looking at the poor excuse for a kunoichi.

"Okay, have a seat," commanded Kakashi, gesturing towards the steps while he took a seat on the railing. When they complied, he spoke again. "Since we're on a team, I thought it might be useful to take some time to get to know one another. So… tell me a little about yourselves."

"Like what?" asked Sakura, confused despite her supposedly high IQ.

"He means your favorite thing, what you hate most, dreams, ambitions, hobbies, stuff like that," said Naruto, a look of annoyance crossing his face as he explained something so simple to the supposed kunoichi of the year. He looked skyward as Sakura seemed to understand, thanking Kami that there were some active brain cells in her head.

"Why, don't you go first? Show us how it's done."

Naruto slapped his forehead, once again surprised at the depths of the pink haired teen's stupidity. Sasuke mirrored his position, rubbing his head in one hand.

"Oh… me? I am Hatake Kakashi. I'm the kind of person who doesn't feel like talking about his likes and dislikes," he said, earning himself a grin from both Naruto and Sasuke while Sakura looked miffed at his explanation. "My dreams for the future are none of your business… but, anyway, I have a lot of hobbies."

Sakura looked like she was going insane while Naruto and Sasuke smirked at her. Kakashi couldn't help but join in; it was too easy to mess with this girl.

"Alright, you on the right, tell us about yourself," said Kakashi, looking at Naruto.

Naruto grinned as he began to speak. "I am Uzumaki Naruto. I like stuff. I hate stuff. I have hobbies. I have dreams."

Sasuke began to chuckle as Naruto finished, recognizing the vague look._ He's thinking of Hinata again._

Kakashi smiled at his little friend. _Still being a pain in the ass, eh, Naruto?_

"Good for you. Uchiha, you're next."

"I am Uchiha Sasuke. I like things. I hate things. I have dreams. I have hobbies."

It was Naruto's turn to hold in a laugh as Sakura turned red in anger, both her teammates giving the exact same info as her teacher: their name.

She also felt a twinge of disappointment, since Sasuke didn't say what he like specifically. _I hope it's me!_

"And finally, the young lady."

"I am Haruno Sakura. The thing I like is… well, the person I like is… and, um… my dream for the future is…" she said, her blush growing steadily deeper as she continued to speak. Naruto was contemplating suicide as he picked up on what her dream was. **(Anyone got a guess?)**

"I hate Naruto," continued Sakura, staring at her crush. "My hobby is-"

"Stalking the Last Uchiha," finished Naruto, grinning at Sasuke, who suddenly had the urge to ask Naruto for barrier and alarm seals.

"Right, stalking Sasuke-kun… Hey!" she shouted in outrage, glaring at the blonde.

"Am I right?" asked Naruto, looking her dead in the eyes. Sakura blushed deeply.

"I rest my case," said Naruto. He turned to Sasuke and held out his hand. "Pay up."

Sasuke reached into his ninja pouch and pulled a wad of bills and put them in Naruto's outstretched hand. "Lucky guess," he whispered, glaring at Naruto with his onyx eyes.

"Don't mess with a mind reader. We'll win every time," replied Naruto, stowing the bills in one of his arm seals.

"Okay, enough. Tomorrow, we'll start our duties as shinobi," said Kakashi, crossing his arms as leaned back on the railing.

"Yay! What are we going to do, Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sakura.

"Our mission will include only the members of this cell."

"What type of mission?"

"Survival training," said Naruto, leaning forward, pulling a whisper knife and a hunk of wood from seals under his cloak. "Right, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Correct, Naruto, though this is no ordinary survival training exercise. You will be surviving against... me."

"Figures..." growled Naruto, slicing a piece of unneeded wood from the rest. _This should be finished by nightfall,_ he thought as he shook his head. "The Hokage wants to see how well we work, doesn't he?"

"Yes, he does," said Kakashi. He looked down and began to chuckle. Naruto's grin widened as he read Kakashi's mind, getting info in his special way. _This will be interesting_, thought Naruto, continuing to slowly shave the wood into art.

"What's so funny, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Out of the twenty-seven teams, only nine of them will be chosen to become Genin. The rest will be sent back to the Academy for further training. This test has a fail rate of over sixty-six percent."

Sakura was losing her cool, worrying about the fact that if she failed, she'd never be able to be with her Sasuke-kun. Naruto, once again, contemplated shoving a kunai in his head.

_~You can block out her mind, you know.~_

_Thank you, Kami!_ Thought Naruto as he put up mental Force shields around Sakura's head, blocking her thoughts from being broadcasted to him. He sighed as blissful silence entered his mind.

Kakashi pulled three forms out of his flak jacket. "These pages have your mission parameters on it. Memorize them. Tomorrow, bring all your ninja tools," he said, forming the seals for a shunshin. Pausing on the last seal, he said, "I suggest you don't eat breakfast, or else you'll be throwing it back up."

Sakura quickly looked over the paper she received, memorizing everything she could. _If I fail this, I'll be separated from my Sasuke-kun. This is a test of my love!_

She looked up to see Naruto and Sasuke walk to the edge of the roof and jump off, leaving her alone atop the academy. She ran to the rail and saw both of them land on the ground as if they had just stepped off a staircase.

Naruto stopped Sasuke for a moment. "Eat breakfast. Shinobi need the energy to give it their all. Giving up the most important meal of the day is not an option."

Sasuke nodded, thinking along the same lines. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

Both split up, Sasuke for his home in the Uchiha complex and Naruto to a certain training ground, following a presence he knew very well and a scent that was damn near intoxicating.

**Training ground eight…**

Kiba and Shino had finished working on their clan jutsus and decided to go home, waving good-bye to Hinata as she looked up from the training post she was currently striking.

The team meeting had gone well. They introduced themselves and had learned of the Genin test they would be taking tomorrow, the final test between them and their goal: the rank of a ninja.

Using Juken strikes, she systematically destroyed the post, reducing it to fallen splinters and chunks of wood.

Breathing heavily, she stepped back and surveyed her work.

The three training posts that had been in the training ground were reduced to sawdust and there were circles carved in the dirt where she had been practicing the Kaiten. _Not bad for today…I wonder where Naruto is,_ she thought leaning against a tree.

"You know… there's something about a woman reducing training posts to dust that is downright sexy," growled Naruto, sitting in the tree above Hinata, still carving that piece of wood. It had begun to take on a cylindrical appearance, thought it appeared far from done.

Hinata blushed, cheeks turning rosy red. "Hello, Naruto-kun. How did meeting your sensei go?" asked Hinata, jumping up to Naruto's tree branch. She sat on the branch, facing the same way as he was, admiring the view.

Naruto quickly placed his carving and his knife in their respective places and grabbed Hinata's hand and pulled her into his chest. His arms encircled her, securing her in his grasp. Hinata leaned back into his chest and sighed in contentment. _Life can't get much better than this._

Naruto smiled as he pressed a kiss in Hinata's neck. "Informative. One of my good friend from the ANBU is going to teach me. It should be fine, though when we get into a fight, Sasuke and I will have to watch out for our weakest link."

Hinata tilted her head so that she could look him in the eyes. "It shouldn't be too hard for you and Sasuke, should it?" she asked, smiling into her love's cerulean eyes.

"No, it shouldn't," replied Naruto, tilting his head as he went for a kiss. It was light, like a butterfly's wings, just enough pressure for Hinata to know it was there.

Hinata smiled as she stretched to return the kiss, twisting in Naruto's arms to press against him, enjoying the feeling of the ridges of his muscles through his shirt. She moaned as he kissed her with such passion that it made her toes curl as waves of pleasure arced through her body.

Naruto opened his mouth and traced Hinata's lower lip. Hinata responded in kind, opening her mouth and kissing each other, their tongues battling for dominance. Hinata shivered as Naruto rubbed her back, easing the tensed muscles as he kissed her.

_~ANBU incoming!~_ said Kyubi, sensing the approach of one of the Sandaime's personal assassins/guards.

Naruto pulled back and looked skyward. _You enjoy screwing with me, don't you?_

**In Heaven…**

Kami was laughing her ass off along with her brother, the Shinigami.

**Back on Earth…**

A poof of smoke heralded the arrival of an ANBU. The ninja masked with a porcelain mask shaped like an ox looked up into the tree, sensing the chakra signature of Hyuga Hinata, but not the one he was searching for: Uzumaki Naruto._ Where is he?_

"Hyuga-sama, have you seen Uzumaki-san?" he asked, climbing up the tree like a spider, coming to eye level with Hinata.

"Look up, ANBU."

Ox looked up and saw Naruto, hanging from a branch by his feet. "What does the ANBU want with me?" he asked, annoyance coloring his voice. _This had better be quick. I can see the ANBU's life growing shorter by the minute._

"The council has summoned you," said the ANBU, still wondering why he couldn't sense him, even at this range.

"Very well. I shall attend the meeting," said Naruto, sensing that the ANBU would not take 'no' for an answer. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

"The council wanted you there immediately, Uzumaki-san."

"Words cannot describe how little a give a damn," replied Naruto, glaring at the eye slits in the white mask. "Deliver the message that I will be there in a few minutes."

The ANBU left, leaving the two teens alone. Naruto sighed in frustration, still hanging upside-down from the tree branch. Looking at Hinata, he caressed her cheek with one hand. "I hope to continue this later, Hinata-hime."

Hinata caught his hand and pulled him towards her, claiming a passionate kiss. After thirty seconds of making out, they both came up for air and parted ways, Hinata to the Hyuga Compound and Naruto to the council chambers.

**Council chambers…**

"Where is that brat?" asked Warai Kisara, a civilian council member, in outrage._ How dare that demon-spawn make us wait!_

They had been waiting for about twenty minutes since the ox-masked ANBU had gotten back. Sarutobi sighed, rubbing his forehead as he answered. "Naruto will be along in a minute."

"That's what you said ten minutes ago!" shouted another civilian. The council was currently growing more and more frustrated. The meeting had been called because of Naruto's powers. And yet the subject of the meeting is not here.

Naruto was, in fact, in the room, standing beside the Hokage's seat, leaning on it trying not to laugh. _I love Force illusions,_ he thought as he walked into the center of the room.

With a flourish of his cloak, Naruto revealed himself, using the Force to make it seem he had formed out of the shadows surrounding him. Turning to the Hokage, he bowed. "You summoned me, Jijii?"

"Watch your tongue, demon brat! This is the Hokage and you will show the proper respect!" said Kisara, glaring at the blonde haired jinchuriki, radiating hatred.

Naruto returned the glare, lacing it with copious amounts of killing intent, one of Naruto's favorite techniques… besides the Force, of course.

Killing intent, the accumulation of fear stimulus, was created by hundreds of small movements: slightly narrowing the eyes, tensing the right muscles in succession, the way the head was tilted, the baring of teeth, that type of thing. **(I kinda borrowed this explanation from Never Cut Twice by shadowmaster62, a very well written Naruto fanfic. Check it out if you get the chance.)**

Needless to say, the council shut up, some nearly fainting at the sheer amount of killing intent in the air. Even the ninja on the council felt faint at Naruto's killing intent. Hiashi was shocked by the ability. Usually, killing intent was rarely used by Jonin, not some fifteen year-old soon-to-be Genin. _What is he?_

"I am here at your request, jakki-ketsu. Do not tell me how to conduct myself unless you want a meeting with the sharp end of my sword," said Naruto, pulling the hilt of his stick sword out of a seal at his waist, unsheathing it about a foot. "I could leave whenever the hell I want and none of you could stop me."

The killing intent dissipated as quickly as it had been unleashed, allowing the council to breathe. Naruto relaxed all the little motions he had used, though he left his fangs bared. "So… what does the _mighty_ council want with me?"

Danzo, one of the oldest on the council, stood. _He looks like shit,_ thought Naruto, looking over Danzo's war torn body. Bandages were wrapped around one eye, giving him a slightly intimidating look. The old war hawk had also lost an arm long ago, using a black cloak to cover the stump, adding the intimidation.

That is, of course, if Naruto was able to be intimidated. _Please. This guy needs to die. He thinks that will intimidate me? I was trained by the ultimate teacher of killing intent!_

_~Thank you for the complement.~_ said Kyubi, watching through Naruto's eyes. Kyubi narrowed his eyes at Danzo, sensing the darkness of his soul. _~He is evil to the core. Keep an eye on him.~_

"You have been summoned because you seem to have powers that have not been seen by any ninja before you," said Danzo in a rough voice.

"And how, pray tell, are you privy to this information?" asked Naruto, glaring at Danzo, drawing on a miniscule amount of Kyubi's chakra, making his eyes flash red.

"Testimony from one of the academy teachers. She swears that you threw twenty shuriken without touching them, having them float in the air before hitting the target."

"Hm… you mean like this?" asked Naruto, Tapping into the Force, every kunai, shuriken and whisper knife he had on his person floated into the air, blades aimed Danzo.

Naruto smiled at the fear showing in Danzo's one eye. "Is this that power you suspect I have? It's quite simple actually: chakra strings are used to make the weapons float."

"Naruto, please stop threatening Danzo," said the Hokage. Naruto replaced his weapons, still glaring at Danzo.

"Are there any questions?" asked Naruto, looking at each of the council members. At Hiashi's raised hand, he nodded at the Hyuga clan head. "Yes, you have a question?"

"What else can you do, besides the floating weapon technique?" he asked, Byakugan activating. Surprise crossed his face when he couldn't see Naruto's chakra coils.

"As you can see, Hyuga-san, you cannot see my tenketsu, not my chakra coils."

Nara Shikaku leaned forward, looking over the blonde. _He's not telling us everything_, he thought, his scarred brow furrowing as he began to ponder on this new mystery.

"Of course I'm not, Nara-san. I have other powers, including the ability to read someone's mind," said Naruto, surprising the council by answering the Nara clan head's thoughts.

Naruto turned to another civilian member of the council, a dark-haired, pale skinned man with a permanent sneer-like face. "Now, reading your mind is much more… _interesting_."

"Naruto, what are you talking about?" asked the Sandaime. _I know he can read minds but what is so significant about that man?_

"Do you know, Jijii, that this man has been selling secrets to other villages about Konohagakure and our forces?" said Naruto, quickly reaching out and grabbing the traitor's throat as he tried to escape, red eyes radiating killing intent. "What happens to traitors, Jijii?"  
"They are executed, Naruto," said the Hokage, glaring at the traitor.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, I will show you a different power," said Naruto, raising his right hand. Placing it above the civilian's chest, it began to glow red.

The traitor arched in pain as red energy began to seep out of his body and join with the energy around Naruto's hand. The council looked on in horror as the traitorous civilian began to age before their eyes; his hair growing out, changing from black to white before falling out, his skin wrinkling and rotting.

All within a minute, Naruto turned away from the pile of dust that had been the traitor, holding a palm full of pulsing red energy. "Let this be a lesson to you all," he said, holding the globe of crimson up in the air.

"What happens to the energy now?" asked Shikaku, his expression unchanged.

"A very good question. I could absorb it, increasing my chakra reserves with it, I could use the energy to fuel an attack, or I could…" Naruto trailed off as he thought of something new.

"Could what?" asked Hiruzen. Naruto turned to the elderly Kage and smiled.

"I think I could make you young again."

With those words, before anyone could react, Naruto charged the Hokage and buried the red orb in his chest. A flash of light blinded all the council members, many of them trying to shield their eyes. Only Aburame Shibi saw what transpired at the Hokage's seat, shielded from the light by the oval sunglasses he wore.

When the light faded, the council members looked back to the Hokage's seat.

Naruto had the arm of Sarutobi Hiruzen, helping him back into his seat. His hair had turned brown, as well as his beard. His wrinkles were gone and he appeared to be like he was when he had trained the Sannin.

Hiruzen lifted a hand and stared at it, noting the change in skin color, musculature and absence of loose skin. Looking up at Naruto, he said, "How is this possible?"

Naruto smiled, dusting his hands. "Everything is possible."

**That's a wrap.**

**Please read and review.**

**Side note: The Naruto X Jumper crossover has been selected for the next story my readers want to see. It will be out soon, hopefully within a week. It is guaranteed before Christmas.**


	10. New Allies and the Test

**Greetings, fellow authors and readers.**

**To alexa-catta123 – Danzo will try, but fail. Gaara and Neji… another pair of favorite characters. Neji might need some work, but Gaara I have a plan for, including his 'Inner Demon'.**

**To Fury074 – I have never read VFSNAKE's story. (Sorry!) Though I have spoken to him about it and he has given me free reign if I need inspiration.**

**To Ogre81 – 'Roku Naruto.' I cannot remember if I have read it or not. If I did copy the idea, I apologize to the author. Also, the de-aging of the Hokage is a widely used theme.**

**To dbtiger63 – Naruto is going to… you'll see.**

**To TUAOA MORRISTOFOX – Sakura's mom seducing Naruto or having Sakura seduce him for youth… interesting idea… also a bit disturbing.**

**To 'Chris Bounds' – Force shield? You are referring to the way Naruto escaped Sasuke's fireball in a previous chapter, correct? I was under the impression it was called 'Force Repulse'. I also don't know what you meant by 'aching'. Care to explain? Also, my opinion of a harem is more than one girl. Personally, I prefer monogamous relationships to harems, not saying that harems are bad. And finally, the different events that will happen… you'll see.**

**To cbadgr – Who says Naruto didn't pick up anything?**

**To Malix2 – I'm happy that my crossover has interested you.**

**Thanks to all others who left comments. **

**For those who didn't… you know who you are… so do I!**

**Ahem… On with the Fic!**

Naruto walked out of the council chamber, satisfied at the work he'd done. He tricked the council into believing that he used chakra powered abilities, de-aged the Hokage, and denied Danzo's attempts to get him into NE, covert attempts, since everyone believed Ne was dead. _A good nights work, don't you think, Kyubi?_ thought Naruto, forming a Kage Bunshin as he walked.

"Oh, yes, it is a good night when we get to put temes in their place," said Kyubi, growling as he stretched his neck, joints popping with little cracks. "We should return to the Forest. We have more training to do."

"I agree," said Naruto, beginning to pick up the pace as he turned a corner. Kyubi was confused at his choice of direction, as it went in the opposite direction of their Forest home.

"Uh, Naruto? Where are you going?" asked Kyubi, looking at the blond growing smaller as he ran away. _Ah, that's where he is going._

**Hyuga compound…**

Hinata opened the doors to the balcony, looking up at the sky, stars twinkling in the blackness above. Hinata took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air of the night. She leaned on the railing, looking down at the garden below. _I wonder how Naruto is._

Hand encircled her waist and pulled her backwards, colliding with her attacker's body. She spun quickly, preparing a Juken strike when she finally recognized her attacker.

"Well... I was hoping for a kiss, Hinata-hime, not a Juken strike to the heart. Maybe I should come back later," said Naruto, pulling down his cloth mask, displaying his fox-like grin. He acted as if he was to slink away, causing Hinata to roll her eyes at his antics.

"Naruto-kun," said Hinata as she embraced him, kissing him passionately. Naruto smiled as they came up for air, grinning at his love.

"See why I like this better?"

Hinata punched him lightly in the chest. "What did I tell you about scaring me like that?"

"That you enjoy it?" said Naruto, still grinning despite a second hit in the ribs. _She's been working harder_, he thought as she added a little more power to the second blow.

"I wanted to give you something," he said, reaching up one sleeve to reach a seal on his bicep. Hinata activated her Byakugan, trying to see what it was. Unfortunately, Naruto was always one step ahead, attaching seals that nullified the Byakugan's x-ray ability to every article of clothing he owned.

"Here we are," he said, drawing a finished flute out of his sleeve, polished to a high shine. A flowering vine had been carved into it, stretching from one end to the other. He had finished it while shooting down Danzo's attempts. "I thought you might like it."

Hinata picked up the flute and set it aside before pulling Naruto into her arms. Hinata looked up at Naruto, their faces an inch apart, before pulling him into another kiss.

When that kiss ended, Naruto sat on one of the chairs on the balcony, twisting Hinata around to sit with him. "I believe it is safe to assume that you like it."

Hinata just looked at him with her lavender eyes for a moment before looking back up at the sky. She sighed in pleasure as Naruto moved his hands, pressing sore muscles and bringing relief with every touch. "What did the council want, Naruto-kun?"

"They wanted to know how I threw those shuriken without touching them. Chakra strings are easily used in the same way."

"I see," said Hinata, snuggling further into Naruto's chest.

Naruto tilted his head to the left, his ears picking up a whistling sound, faintly metallic in nature. _Metal slicing air_, thought Naruto, following the sound.

A throwing dagger twirled through the air and buried itself into the chair, three inches from Naruto's shoulder. Naruto recognized the style of blade and pulled it out of the seat. A black, triple-bladed knife with a special slot in the handle made for either a blade trap for an unaware enemy or for a piece of paper for messenger purposes. Who would look for a message in a knife?

"What is it, Naruto-kun?" asked Hinata, confused at the sudden appearance of a knife and the absence of emotions in Naruto. He pulled a slip of paper out of the handle and paused for a moment as he read it. Looking up, he smiled and, using a minor Katon jutsu, burnt it.

"What is it?" reiterated Hinata.

Naruto grinned wider. "An old friend, one who hates a certain aspect of Konoha as much as I do."

Naruto's grin turned sour as he realized one thing he didn't think about before: If he was going to meet his old friend, he would have to leave now.

"Unfortunately, I have to go, Hinata-hime," said Naruto, placing the dagger in his belt. Lifting Hinata to her feet, he claimed her lips for a final kiss and jumped onto the wall surrounding the compound.

"Where are you going?"

_Kyubi is going to love this,_ thought Naruto as he formulated a reply. "I am going to a brothel."

_I am in so much trouble,_ thought Naruto as he jumped away. _Damn him to hell._

**The Black Wolf...**

The Black Wolf was one of the nicest bars in Konoha, though few people knew of its true purpose. It was off Takamiru Way on the west side, not far from the wall surrounding the village. It had a reputation for having some of the best wines in the city, a fact used most often as an excuse when a patron's wife asked awkward questions.

It was Naruto's first visit, though he had heard of its' reputation when he would accompany caravans through the desert of Kaze. One heard many interesting stories around a merchant's campfire.

The brothel had three stories. The first, where food and wines were served, resembled a spacious inn. A sign denoted the second floor as the 'lounge' and the third as 'guest rooms.'

A few of the other patrons looked up at the sight of a man dressed in Suna style clothes walking in, but they turned back to their drinks, meals, and pleasurable company as he directed a brief glare at them.

"Hello, Shinzan-kun," a breathy voice said as he stopped a few feet inside the door.

He turned and looked down slightly into the eyes of a woman, a few years older than him by his assumptions. She stood very close to him, close enough that the spicy scent of her perfume wafted over him. _Hm… Ylang-Ylang if I'm not mistaken_, thought Naruto as he smiled at the woman in front of him.

Her voice was pitched low and inviting, as if Naruto and she were sharing secrets or soon could. Her dress was made entirely of white lace, covering her from her throat to ankles.

If Kyubi was here, he would note that the lace forming the dress was not in a tight pattern, allowing an observer to see some of her creamy flesh beneath the dress. Kyubi would also note that the woman obviously wore nothing underneath it.

"Excuse me?" he said, still smiling as charmingly as he could at the woman.

"Is there any way I can help you? Would you like me to bring you a glass of sake and explain our range of services?" Her smile didn't waver as she noticed his eyes never left hers as many others have before him.

"No, thank you," Naruto politely said.

"Perhaps you'd prefer to come to the lounge and speak with me more… privately," she said, raising a hand and running a finger along his jaw line.

"Actually, I'd prefer not to. Thank you all the same," said Naruto, catching her hand in his and returning it to her side.

She arched an eyebrow at him, as if he had suggested something devilish. "Normally I like a man to warm me up a little, but if you want to go straight to my room, I'd be-"

"No," Naruto said as her tempting smile slipped a bit. "I thank you for the offer, but I have no use of your services this night. I do, however, require your help."

He handed her the note he had received via messenger knife. Her eyes lit up in as she recognized the name at the bottom. "This way," she said, taking his hand and pulling him across the room.

Opening a door at the back of the room, she pulled Naruto into the dark hallway. She pointed down the corridor, saying, "His office is that way."

Naruto pulled a few ryo notes from his pocket and pressed them into her hand. "Thank you."

She smiled as she left. Not a fake smile, like the one she had displayed while trying to seduce him, but a true smile.

_I am so lucky Kyubi isn't here_, thought Naruto as he walked down to the end of the hall. Opening the door, he smiled at the man behind the desk.

"Hello, Sukoppu. It has been to long."

The man behind the desk smiled as he stood. He was dressed in black kung-fu uniform-like clothes, silver edges flashing slightly in the light.

There was a slight sound of cloth on cloth from the corner behind the door. Something moved towards Naruto behind his field of vision, prompting a response from the blonde. Naruto's response was an instinctive kick.

His foot caught Sukoppu's body guard in the chest. Though the guard was a big man, Naruto had chakra, the Force, and perfect aim on his side. Naruto felt ribs crack beneath his foot. The guard flew backwards into the wall, slid down, and lay on the floor, unmoving.

Naruto scanned the room, using all his senses to assure him, the guard, and Sukoppu were the ones in the room. Sukoppu has his hands up, fingers spread, showing he had no weapons.

"He wasn't going to attack you. He was just making sure you didn't have weapons. I swear it." Sukoppu looked at the man on the floor. "By Kami's blood, you've killed him."

Scowling, Naruto looked at the man, sprawled unconscious in the corner. He knelt by him and placed fingers against the man's neck. _Nothing._ He spread his hands over the man's chest to feel if one of the broken ribs might have penetrated his heart.

Then he slammed his fist down on the man's chest. And again.

"What the hell are you-" Sukoppu cut off as the man's chest suddenly rose.

The bodyguard coughed and moaned. Naruto knew from experience that his injuries were agonizing. But he'd live.

"Get someone to take care of him," growled Naruto. "A few of his ribs are broken."

Eyes wide, Sukoppu went out into the hall. Within a few minutes, Sukoppu came back with a pair of bodyguards. Like the first, they were big, brawny, and looked like they might be able to use the swords at their sides. They merely glared at Naruto and picked up the big man between them.

They carried him out of the room and Sukoppu closed the door behind them. "You've obviously learned a thing or two, haven't you? Sukoppu said. "I wasn't testing you. He insisted on being here. I didn't think… never mind."

Naruto smirked. "Next time, tell him what type of man is meeting you. Then, he'll ask himself if he could stop me if I wanted to kill you."

Sukoppu looked thoughtful as he processed the information and saw Naruto's point. The emotionless takedown of his bodyguard showed him that if Naruto was in a particularly bad mood, few would be able to survive.

After a minute of silence Naruto sighed and took a seat. "What do you need of me, my friend?"

"There is an organization within Konoha that needs… 'uprooting,' as it were. Do you know anything about the group called 'Ne'?"

Naruto smiled. Danzo had been thinking about his personal ANBU units all through the meeting. He only knew a little about it as Danzo himself knew nothing about the bases of Ne. This allowed Danzo to be 'mindwalked' by a Yamanaka and get away without a problem.

"I know of it. Why?"

"I have my own special group of devoted individuals who, like me, have found the need to remove such blight on our city," said Sukoppu, reaching into his desk drawer and pulling a sheaf of papers out. Passing them to Naruto, he continued. "A few weeks ago, one of our members was killed in an ambush. Since then, we've been on the lookout for a potential new recruit."

Naruto looked over the papers. Some were pictures, probable members of Ne. Others were maps with red circles at certain spots. Those probably were base locations.

"I've seen these people around in the market place."

"Yes, yes. The Ne agents are very good at remaining undercover. They can act as we do or switch to the emotionless killing machines they are," said Sukoppu, pouring himself a drink. "Sake?" he offered.

"No, thank you."

"Let me get straight to the point: we need a new member and I nominated you. The rest of the council agreed. Are you interested?"

"Why did the council agree?" asked Naruto, curious at the ease he was agreed upon.

"I told them about the day you rescued me and the rest of the caravan."

"It was nothing," said Naruto, waving his hand dismissively.

"You eliminated forty-eight bandits and five ex-Suna nuke-nin. You call that nothing?" asked Sukoppu, humour evident on his face.

"There were only five nuke-nins."

"They were A-rank in the Bingo book!"

"Hm… the standards of the writers must have gone down."

"Nevertheless, are you in or out?"

Naruto pondered on the offer for a few moments, weighing the pros and cons of this decision. "It will remove a thorn from Jijii's side. Sure, I'm in."

Sukoppu beamed and shook hands with his newest comrade. "Welcome to the Niwashi."

Naruto smiled as well. "Now, if you don't mind, I have to go convince my girlfriend not to kill me because your idea of fun is to make your base of operations in a brothel."

"Oh? You have a girlfriend now? Who is she?"

Naruto merely drew on the Force, cloaked himself and left through the open window behind Sukoppu.

Sukoppu smiled. "I knew he would join us."

**Back at the Hyuga compound…**

Hyuga Hinata was pacing back and forth on her balcony, awaiting her boyfriends return. _Why would he visit a brothel when he's got me_? she thought to herself.

"Because an old friend is an idiot," said Naruto, shimmering into visibility before her. "Honestly! What idiot would set up his cover in a brothel?"

"You went to a brothel to meet an old friend?" asked Hinata, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Naruto smiled. "What type of boyfriend would I be if I went there for any other reason?"

"Who is your old friend?" asked Hinata, beginning to understand.

"A man I saved in the dunes of Kaze," said Naruto. "That's all I can tell you… for now, anyways."

"But-"

"I said, not now. I will tell you later. Please understand, Hinata-hime."

"But Naruto," said Hinata, pouting at Naruto. Naruto smiled as he saw this. _Hinata's ultimate technique._

"Later, Hinata-hime."

**The next day…**

Sasuke and Naruto arrived at training ground seven. Naruto summoned some clones to work on his chakra control via the water walking exercise. Some of them went as far as to lie down on the surface and radiate enough chakra to stay afloat. The original Naruto removed his sandy-colored cloak and stuck a senbon needle into the ground. Then he began balancing on one finger above it, switching hands after he finished a hundred inverted, one-handed push-ups.

Sasuke copied Naruto's mix of physical and chakra training, though he only managed seventy- five before he lost his concentration and slipped off the senbon.

The tranquility of the scene was soon broken with a squeal of "Sasuke-kun!" The pink-haired kunoichi came running onto the scene, lugging a pack full of ninja tools.

Dropping the afore-mentioned bag, she launched herself at Sasuke. Unfortunately for her, Sasuke quickly and flawlessly Kawarimi'd with a tree branch above him, giving her a face full of leaves.

Naruto smiled as Sasuke jumped down from the branch above, brushing some leaves off his clothing. "Getting better with those Kawarimi's, eh, Sasuke?"

"Running from fan-girls makes it a requirement," replied Sasuke, smiling as Sakura extricated herself from the tree branch.

The pinkette was not to quit after just a tree branch. "Sasuke-kun! Want to go out sometime?" she asked, smiling with hearts in her eyes at the Uchiha heir.

"No."

This continued for two hours. Every five minutes, Sakura would ask Sasuke and he would reply. Naruto was contemplating hunting his wayward sensei when, in a whirlwind of leaves, he appeared atop one of the three training posts.

"Your late!" shouted Sakura in her banshee-mode, causing Sasuke, Naruto and Kakashi to mess around with their ears for a second or two to clear the ringing from them.

"I got lost on the road of life," said Kakashi, jumping down from the post.

"_Right_, Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto, his fanged grin appearing on his face as he used the Force to delve into Kakashi's most recent memories. "How's Hebi-chan?"

"Hm? Oh, you say something, Naruto?" asked Kakashi, trying to use his 'Hip Cool Attitude' technique that he usually does to Gai and glare at Naruto at the same time.

Sakura was in a near-apoplectic state. _First he's late, then he makes up this lame excuse, and then he fails at whatever technique he tried to use to avoid the question._

Kakashi pulled an alarm clock from his belt pouch and placed it on one of the training posts. "In this exercise, you have one hour to get a bell from me."

"What bell?" asked Sakura, confused. Naruto and Sasuke exchanged glances and rolled their eyes in unison.

"These bells." Kakashi held up a pair of silver bells, making them _ding_ off of each other. "Whoever doesn't have a bell when the alarm goes off, goes back to the academy to repeat a year."

"But there's only two bells!" shouted Sakura, using her amazing brain power to state the obvious.

"Correct," said Kakashi, hanging the bells on his belt. "Now come at me like you're going in for the kill," he said, looking down at the ground.

He looked up and fixed them with a demonic glare. "If you don't, you'll never get the bells."

Sakura nearly fainted, scared out of her wits. Sasuke and Naruto both reacted differently. Naruto pulled a pair of shuriken from his holster and pouch and flipped through seals. Sasuke did the same, though he pulled twelve shuriken from his pouch.

As one, they called out their jutsu. "Katon: Buki Hen'I no jutsu!"

A stream of fire poured out of their mouths and melted the weapons they held. The molten metal then formed a new weapon. Sasuke now held an oni shuriken. Naruto held a wave-style shuriken with four holes where the blade of each point connected. **(See Nabari no Ou, chapter 5, page 15 at for a picture of the star)**

Once the flames receded from their weapons, both wound up and threw their new throwing weapons at Kakashi.

As the two stars whirred closer, Kakashi's only thought was, _what the hell?_

**(Now, I really wanted to end it here and give you guys a cliffy, but I'm a nice guy… I think. So here's some more.)**

Kakashi immediately dropped to the ground, avoiding the shuriken by millimeters. As he stood, he noticed the stars turn in midair, arcing back to their appropriate thrower.

"Hm… Shuriken has little effect on him," said Sasuke, folding the oni shuriken with a flick of his wrist, the blade segments stacking on top of each other with an ominous clicking sound.

"Apparently." Naruto slipped a strand of ninja wire through the holes in the star and stowed it across his back.

"Not bad, Naruto, Sasuke," said Kakashi, dusting himself off from his brief meeting with the earth beneath his feet.

"You, on the other hand," he said, pointing at Sakura, "need some work on withstanding killer intent."

As Sakura try to sputter out a comeback, Kakashi assumed a thinking pose. "Now that I think about it, I didn't say 'go.'"

Naruto and Sasuke tensed, waiting for the command to unleash hell. Kakashi smiled at this, proud of his 'little friend.'

"Go!"

The three soon-to-be-full genin leapt away, cloaking their chakra and hiding themselves amongst the vegetation.

Kakashi stood alone on the training ground, looking around at the now empty space. Closing his eyes, he took a moment to sense around for chakra sources.

_There's Sasuke,_ he thought. _He's gotten really good at suppressing his chakra. I'll bet that Naruto's been helping out with his training._

A second later, a second chakra source was located. _Sakura. She is good as well, though it is probably due to her low chakra stores more than stealth training. Why, oh why did I get a team with a fan-girl on it?_

Kakashi shook his head and looked around. He had sensed two of his three students. _Where's Naruto?_

Kakashi felt a chill go down his back. The hair on the back of his neck stood up. _A threat sense? From who?_

Scanning the area, he saw no one. None of his other senses were tingling, so he decided it was just a false alarm.

A hand landed on his shoulder, startling him. He looked left and found himself looking into the blue eyes of his student.

"The problem with people these days… is their senses are screaming at them and they don't listen to well," he said, smiling at his silver haired teacher, a shit-eating grin stretched across his face. "For instance, you're aptly named 'threat sense' signaled you of my approach, but when your other senses told you nothing, you ignored the most powerful of them all."

Kakashi sighed, brushed Naruo's hand off his shoulder and shook his head. "Not everyone is insanely good like you, Naruto."

"True… I heard from a very reliable source that you knew kenjutsu. True?" Naruto asked as he pulled his shikomizue from its sheath at his belt. Kakashi's eyes widened as he pulled a three foot blade from a four inch sheath.

"Yes, I do know kenjutsu," said Kakashi, running through a set of hand seals before slamming his hand onto the ground. A poof of smoke quickly faded as Kakashi picked up an ANBU style ninjato.

"Very nice," said Naruto, looking over the shining piece of blue steel in his teacher's hand. "I'm gonna guess it's made of chakra-conducting metal?"

"Very astute, Naruto. I wish I had a wind affinity so my blade would cut easier. Unfortunately, I have lightning, but it does have an extra affect if I get a hit on you."

Naruto spun his sword through a pair of figure-eight's before settling his blade in a reverse grip. "Mine is the same, though I do have a wind affinity."

"Ah… This will be interesting," said Kakashi, adopting a one-handed kenjutsu stance.

Sasuke smirked from within his leafy hiding place, a hundred meters from the action. _Kakashi-sensei is screwed… he just doesn't know it yet._

Naruto flicked his sword left and right as he began charging, drawing Kakashi's gaze with the tip.

_A head on attack? I know Naruto is smarter than that,_ thought Kakashi, leaning forward on the balls of his feet.

Naruto accessed the Force and dashed forward, a booming sound made by the displaced air as he swung the shikomizue at his sensei's torso.

Kakashi's one uncovered eye widened as he barely had time to position his blade to intercept the blow. Naruto sped past, his blade skidding off Kakashi's. Kakashi felt the wind buffet him as his blonde student zoomed past, his eyes barely able to see him at all.

Kakashi spun and assumed a guard stance, only to see Naruto shimmer and disappear. _What the hell was that?_

**To be continued…**

**Sorry for the long wait. I was distracted by school work, some new books I got for Christmas and my new Xbox 360. I hope to update the rest of my stories after exams are finished.**

**Shikomizue – Literally translated as 'prepared cane.' This is the proper name for Naruto's sword type.**

**Shinzan – Newcomer**

**Niwashi - Gardeners**


	11. A Test and a Meeting

**Greetings from the Shadows**

**I apologize for my absence. Taking two math's in a semester is challenging enough, even without and English class as well.**

**To the DragonBard – I didn't say lightning doesn't cut. I said wind was better. Also, the levels of Sakura's charka reserves were implied as low.**

**To Zabuchar – True, I haven't seen many with only one blade. Naruto has learned Jar'Kai (Dual blade combat) but prefers to use Shien/Djem So, which only uses one blade. I must confess, it was my intention to have Naruto give Hinata and Sasuke Force powers. Due to your review, I have decided to change my plans.**

**To Dragon Man 180 – Yes, Kakashi will cry over not getting Hinata, but a replacement for Sakura is already planned, something never done before… I hope. There is a method to my madness, you'll see. Also, Naruto could very easily still Sakura's vocal cords. Luke Skywalker pulls a similar stunt in **_**The Courtship of Princess Leia**_** against an enemy Force-using Dathomir witch.**

**Thank you to all who have left comments.**

**For those who didn't… you know who you are… so do I.**

**Ahem… On with the Fic!**

Naruto grinned as Kakashi looked about, trying to locate him. _Force concealment is such fun,_ he thought, forming a cross seal.

Fourteen Narutos appeared, all using the Force to remain hidden from their teacher's sight. They drew their shikomizue, grinning as Kakashi continued his search, unaware of the danger he was in.

Nodding at them, the original dashed away, a pair of clones following him, booming sounds accompanying them as they used the Force to launch themselves away.

The other dozen formed a circle around their cycloptic teacher, settling into the stances of the six styles of single bladed combat. All smiled as they began to whisper. "_Let the bodies hit the floor…_"

**With Sasuke…**

Hidden by the green foliage of the tree, Sasuke watched as Naruto disappeared from sight. _He's really using those Force powers of his. Great._

Sasuke shook his head. "Now, I gotta work harder to get to his level," he muttered to himself.

What he wasn't expecting was a response.

"Not really."

Sasuke spun around to see a trio of Narutos hanging from a branch by their feet, a familiar shit-eating grin across his features.

Sasuke looked back down to see his teacher being swarmed by a dozen shadow clones, each wielding a blue tinted blade with the faintest outline of charka around it. _Wind chakra?_

He looked back up to the Naruto trio. "Which one is the real you?" he asked, putting two fingers to his temple as he felt a headache coming on.

The two outer Narutos pointed at the center one, while the indicated one pointed a thumb at himself. "Why?" they chorused, each cocking their heads to the side.

"Stop doing that!"

"Stop what?"

"Never mind. You got a plan?" Sasuke asked, searching around in his pouch for the headache pills he was sure he had packed. Naruto decided to lend a hand, using the Force to raise the bottle from the bottom of Sasuke's pouch.

"Thanks," said Sasuke grabbing the bottle and proceeded to toss back a pair of pills. Swallowing the pills dry, he winced. "Well?"

Naruto shrugged, gesturing the two clones over.

Both looked over to Kakashi's battle with their brothers and _poof_'ed away.

**Back with Kakashi…**

_What the hell did I sign on for_, thought Kakashi as he flipped, whirled, ducked, and ultimately tried to dodge the blades of the supposed 'dead last' of the academy.

A pair of Narutos rolled to either side and swung at his angles, attempting to slice Kakashi's Achilles tendons. Kakashi pulled a cartwheel to avoid the crippling blows, passing over the blades with hairs to spare.

Only to receive a kick in the back, sending him into a tree.

Kakashi rolled off the tree, landing on his back with a ringing head. _Sure, step back to Jonin. All I gotta do is teach a trio of kids. How hard can that be, huh? Can't be that hard, can it? No, gotta be a team Jonin, not an assassin. What the fuck did I sign up for?_

Kakashi looked up to see a circle of Narutos surrounding him, blue blades reflecting blinding light into his eyes. "Parlay?"

The circle laughed and raised their blades.

"Didn't think so." Kakashi launched himself off the ground, palmed a handful of shuriken and tossed them at the circle.

The Narutos either dodged or deflected the shuriken, making Kakashi dodge his own throwing stars.

Kakshi landed outside the circle, making the clones turn after him. One dashed forward and slashed at Kakashi's leg, moving too fast for Kakashi's eye to see it until the clone had completed the swing. A gash opened on Kakashi's thigh, causing the Jonin to wince and stumble.

Other clones began raining blows on the Jonin, forcing him to one knee as the multitude of the slashes began to take their toll. The sound of displaced air filled Kakashi's ears as the Naruto mini-army dashed back and forth, slashing at any opening Kakashi left.

Kakashi nearly wept when he heard the timer ring to signal the end of the exercise.

Sakura came out of hiding to find her teacher covered in tiny gashes and cuts, surrounded by Narutos, blood dripping from his fingers from some deeper gashes on his left arm. Kakashi trembled as his body threatened to collapse, legs burning from sweat mixing in his wounds.

Groaning, Kakashi dropped into a sitting position. He looked down and saw the pair of bells still at his waist. "Maybe I'm not that bad after all."

"What did you do?" asked Sakura, her shrill voice causing all birds in a mile radius scatter and take flight.

"We won the test, no thanks to you," said the Naruto clones, sheathing their swords with sinister hisses.

"What do you mean, won? I still have the bells," panted Kakashi, looking up at the assembled clones.

Two Narutos lifted a bell each, identical grins on their faces. Kakashi gaped at the clones before looking back down at the bells at his waist as they transformed back into Kage Bunshin.

"When?" he asked.

"After he disappeared, nearly hitting you in the process. He used two Bunshin to Kawarimi the bells," said a clone as he pointed at the other. The clones dispelled, leaving two Naruto clones, their pink-haired team mate, and the bloody Kakashi.

Looking around, Sakura asked, "Where's Sasuke-kun?"

The second Naruto poofed, Sasuke undoing the Henge of his team mate. "Here."

Cue flying fan-girl tackle attempt, thwarted by a well-timed crouch.

Sakura hit the ground hard and slid a few feet from the inertia of her leap, causing the friends to share a quick grin.

Kakashi began to chuckle before bursting into laughter. "Me! Brought low by a pair of Genin! Ha!"

Naruto walked over and put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Kakashi. You underestimated us. Hopefully, you won't make the same mistake twice."

Kakashi looked up at his student as a warm feeling spread from Naruto's hand. Naruto smiled and pointed down at Kakashi's arm.

Kakashi looked down at his wounds and found them knitting themselves, healing without a scar fast enough to see. _Impressive,_ thought Kakashi, flexing his arm, feeling as if he had just got out of bed rather than fought a dozen clones.

_I know._

Kakashi started as he heard Naruto's voice echo through his mind. He looked up and caught a wink from Naruto.

_I'll explain later,_ said Naruto's voice.

Nodding at Naruto, Kakashi stood and surveyed his team: an enigmatic blonde warrior with amazing powers and fighting styles, an Uchiha who shared fighting styles with said enigma and mounds of untouched potential, and a pink-haired fan girl who hung on the Uchiha's every word and does not focus on her training.

Looking over at Sakura, who was picking herself off the ground, dirt smeared on her face and red dress, Kakashi sighed. _The only one who needs work is the girl._

Kakashi looked over to the blonde and black haired ninja, who were now playing a game of extreme hot-hands, meaning hot hands with blades. "One question," said Kakashi, smiling beneath his mask. "What was the point of this exercise?"

"Teamwork," chorused Sasuke and Naruto, not even looking away from their game, Naruto carving a gash into Sasuke's hand with a lightning fast slice. Sasuke flinched, looked at his hand to gauge the damage, and then stuck out his hand to continue the game.

Sakura looked a mixture of confused at the answer and horrified at the potentially dangerous game her crush was partaking in. Seeing Naruto add a second cut to Sasuke's hand caused her to throw herself between them. "Stop hurting Sasuke-kun!"

Naruto looked down into her eyes, blue eyes flashing. "Did Sasuke ask for your help?" he asked, restraining the urge to send her flying, courtesy of a Force push.

"N-no," stuttered Sakura, suddenly feeling very afraid at the coldness in her teammate's eyes.

"Then move and let us continue the game."

Sakura immediately left the immediate area as Sasuke scowled at the pair of gashes on the back of his hand.

Naruto smirked as Sasuke stuck his hand back out, ready to continue the game. "Ready to go on?" he asked, lifting his blade.

"Just go," said Sasuke, preparing to dodge.

Kakashi shook his head. "Sakura didn't get a bell, so she's going back to the academy," said Kakashi, looking over at Sakura, who began to cry at the mention of leaving her crush.

Naruto pulled a third slash with one hand and tossed the bell he held at Sakura, making it bounce off her forehead. "We're a team. We pass or fail together. Besides, there are no three-man teams."

"Self sacrifice for your teammate?" asked Kakashi, inwardly smiling. "Well, I am impressed. Congratulations, you've just become Genin. We start missions tomorrow. Be at Shozen Bridge at seven."

"Hai, shisho," chorused Sasuke and Naruto, bumping fists in celebration. They sheathed their knives, both sporting a few cuts that were rapidly healing and began walking away. Sakura immediately trailed after them, asking Sasuke for a date.

Sasuke and Naruto outran the pinkette, leaving her confused in the middle of the road as their after-images faded.

**Ichiraku Ramen Bar…**

"So… score thus far: Naruto in the lead by two games," said Teuchi, serving his best customers, smiling at the scowl the Uchiha heir shot him.

"Yeah, yeah, he's winning, so what? He's been practicing for a year to get that speed," growled Sasuke, digging into his ramen.

"And I still hold back," remarked Naruto, finishing his fourth bowl. "Another, please."

Sasuke dropped his head to the countertop with a clunk, his scowl deepening. "Thanks for that."

"Don't mention it."

Teuchi set another bowl in front of him, appealing scents filling Naruto's nose. As he reached for his chopsticks, he felt someone watching him.

A quick look behind him sighted a figure in a brown hood, face hidden by its shadow, a cloak hiding one side of his body. A few knives were strapped to his side, hilts down, along with a short sword at his hip.

The man knelt atop a building three hundred meters from Ichiraku, staring at Naruto.

"Sasuke, I gotta go," said Naruto, standing up. He tossed a few ryo down on the counter. "Next one is on you."

Sasuke looked up in time to see Naruto vanish into thin air. Sighing, he turned back to his meal. "There's always something."

**With Naruto…**

The brown cloaked man knelt at the edge of his building, watching the newest member to the Niwashi. _He doesn't look that impressive_, thought the man as the blonde disappeared.

"Appearances can be decieveing, Niwashi-san," said Naruto, settling onto one knee beside him. "Your stealth technique needs work."

The Niwashi turned his head from the ramen stand and looked at Naruto, a sense of newfound respect rising within. "My apologies."

"Why are you here?" asked Naruto, looking the ninja over, appraising the weapons his ally carried. All were well crafted, sturdy, and looked as if they were well used.

"A meeting has been called. All the Jusan will be there. That means you must attend," said the Niwashi, holding out a pair of knives.

"What are these?" asked Naruto, holding the knives up to the light to examine them. Engravings on the blade immediately drew his gaze. "These markings… a map?"

"Very good. Kyu said you were smart," said the man. "I am Roku. I'll see you tonight."

As the newly introduced Roku began to leave, Naruto asked, "What is my number?"

"Binbokuji Jusan."

_~Unlucky number thirteen, eh? Sounds fun,~_ said Kyubi, waking up from a long nap.

_Lazy kitsune_, thought Naruto, placing the dual blades into a loop on his belt. _Should we tell them that there are really Juyon?_

_~Nah, it's funner that way.~_

**That night, undisclosed location…**

The full moon cast shadows in the forest, branches and leaves thrown into contrast against the pale moon. An owl hooted and took flight, wings as silent as the footsteps of the thirteen shadowy figures who stepped out of the trees, all walking to the center of the clearing.

A stone with twenty six slots sat in the center of the clearing, weather-beaten and worn. The thirteen circled the stone and drew steel.

"A pleasure to see you again, Jusan," said Roku, holding his blades loosely, casually, face hidden by his hood. "Glad you found the right place."

"The pleasure is mine, Roku," said Naruto, his sandy-colored cloth wrapped around his face.

"Enough," said a man four positions away from Roku. "We have a meeting to call to order."

The assembled Jusan Niwashi placed their blades in the slots, activating hidden mechanisms beneath the stone. The stone dropped a few feet and moved underneath the rim of the hole.

"Follow us, and do so without hesitation," said Roku, stepping forward. Crossing his arms, he jumped into the hole, hurtling out of sight.

The rest of the Niwashi followed suit, dropping down into the subterranean cave.

_~Hidden meeting place. Check. Cloak and dagger theme. Check. Now all we need is a guy to show and say "There's a traitor among us" and we'll have a full set.~_ said Kyubi, filing his claws.

Naruto dropped into the hole, landing on one knee with both hands up his sleeves, fingers resting above his saber seals.

Plain stone walls surrounded the Niwashi, empty except for the wooden table and thirteen chairs around it.

Roku started clapping, smiling beneath his hood, the sound echoing off the walls. "Very theatric, Jusan. Very nice."

"Arigato, Roku," said Naruto, walking over to a chair at the end of the table. The others assembled around the table, each drawing their weapon of choice. Naruto was surprised when Roku did not pull out his short blade; instead he pulled a punch dagger from under his half-cloak.

The others drew short blades and katanas. There were other surprising weapons, needles, a pair of metal cestus and a blow tube among them.

Naruto drew his lightsabers from his arm seals, idly spinning the handles between his fingers.

As one, the Niwashi sat and placed their weapons on the table.

The man at the head of the table spoke first. "Ne is on the move. The former Jusan was the casualty of our last battle, when he and two others stumbled onto a Ne base."

"What is to be done, Ichi?" said one, his voice known to Naruto. _Sukoppu._

"Hopefully, San, our newest acquisition will be able to tell us something."

Roku leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "What 'acquisition' are you talking about, Ichi?"

Ichi reached beneath the table and pressed a release.

With a grinding of mechanics, a table rose into view. Strapped onto it was a struggling man, trying in vain to break out of his bindings.

"He was snooping around my house three nights ago. I got the drop on him and brought him here," said Ichi, gesturing to the man.

"How do you know he's a Ne?" said a female voice at the end of the table. Naruto looked over at her, interested that there was at least one female member of the Niwashi. Her face was covered by a hood, like Roku, but she also included a mask like Kakashi. Only some of her violet hair and brown eyes were visible, eyes alight with curiosity. _I wonder if Kakashi knows his kanojo is working for the Niwashi…_

Ichi tossed an object wrapped in a piece of cloth, landing in the center of the table with a thunk. She picked it up and removed the cloth, revealing an ANBU style mask.

Engraved in the forehead was the symbol for Ne.

"He was wearing that, Nana. If that doesn't prove it, he also has a tattoo on his tongue. All Ne have that," said Ichi, gesturing to the mask.

Naruto leaned forward at the mention of the tattoo. "That seal on his tongue prevents him from talking about Ne, correct?"

"Yes. I've been thinking about finding a seal master who could try and counter it, though I am unsure of who to trust," said Ichi.

_~Oh, oh, pick me!~_

"What if I told you I knew a seal master, one who can be trusted to our cause," said Naruto, placing his elbows on the table, clasped hands in front of his face. "He could be here in seconds, if necessary."

The Niwashi all turned and looked at him with incredulity in their eyes, particularly Nana and Ichi.

"You have a _seal master_ at your beck and call?" asked Nana, her voice incredulous.

"Well, I do provide him room and protection. He does the same for me whenever necessary."

_~Nice cover.~_

"Very well," said Ichi, settling back into his chair. "Summon this seal master. Hopefully we'll learn some more about Ne."

Naruto stood and collected his saber hilts. "I'll be back in a moment," he said. With those words and a flourish of his cloak, he leapt out the hole in the ceiling.

Once he was outside, he created a clone. Kyubi took over and stretched his neck, cartilage popping. "Excellent. I finally get to torture someone!" said Kyubi, a fanged grin on his face.

Naruto leapt down, landing on one knee as before. Nana handed Roku a sheaf of ryo, muttering under her breath.

"See, I told Nana you'd be back in a few seconds," said Roku, smiling beneath his cowl as he counted the ryo before tucking it beneath his half-cloak.

"The Niwashi request, I deliver," said Naruto, gesturing behind him.

Kyubi landed on one knee and rolled forward, springing to his feet at Naruto's side. "Somebody call a seal master?"

Once again, the Niwashi were incredulous. "This guy is a _seal master_?" asked Ichi. "He barely looks older than you."

"Nevertheless, he's the best. He's also older than he looks," said Naruto, throwing a sidelong glance at Kyubi. Kyubi merely smiled, yellow eyes amused.

"Very well then," said Ichi, waving Kyubi over. "Let's see what this _seal master_ can do."

Kyubi walked over to the restrained Ne and shot him a glare loaded with killing intent.

The Ne passed out.

Kyubi opened the Ne's mouth and took a look at the seal on his tongue. After a few minutes of silent contemplation, he looked back to the Niwashi.

"Naruto, you called me for this? The counter-seal for this, very simple. A few more minutes and you can try to get whatever you want concerning Ne out of this guy."

Kyubi turned back to his 'patient' and proceeded to create the counter seal.

After two minutes, Kyubi stepped back. "It's done."

Roku, Naruto and Nana stepped back as Ichi and the others crowded around the prisoner.

Nana stepped closer to Naruto. "How did he know that the prisoner is a Ne?"

"Uh…"

Roku and Nana shared a glance. "What aren't you telling us?" asked Roku, slowly reaching for his sword.

"I really don't want to kill all of you, so I would really like it if you would drop it," said Naruto, leaning forward to whisper it into their ears.

"You will tell us," said Nana, her fingers itching towards hidden blades beneath her dark cloak.

"You guys talking about me?" asked Kyubi, throwing his arms around Roku and Nana.

Both looked at him as if he was crazy.

Kyubi looked over his shoulder towards the rest of the Niwashi and dropped his voice to whisper to them. "If you continue to press the issue, the Niwashi had better start looking for a new Roku and Nana," he said, slipping knives from beneath his sleeves.

"Thanks, Kyubi, make the situation worse, why don'tcha?"

Kyubi smiled, baring fangs for all to see. "That's my job."

"Kyubi?" chorused Roku and Nana, looking from Naruto to Kyubi and back.

"You're the container of Kyubi?" asked Roku, surprise evident in his voice.

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Yon told us that we had a strong new member to replace Jusan. He didn't say he was the Jinchuuriki of the Kyubi!" said Roku, staring at Naruto with a newfound respect.

Nana looked confused… well, as confused as someone with a full mask can be. "If you're the container, how is he out?"

Kyubi spoke up, making Nana and Roku flinch. "I possess a Kage Bunshin, transform into my human form and then I can do whatever I want… within reason, since Blondie there won't let me go to a brothel."

Naruto shook his head, tired of the long standing argument. "Enough, Kyubi."

"Fine… for now," said Kyubi. Removing the blades from Roku's and Nana's throats, he stepped back. "Since my work here is done, I shall be leaving. Goodnight, Niwashi."

Kyubi leapt out of the subterranean meeting room, leaving the Niwashi focused on their prisoner and Nana and Roku focused on Naruto.

"So… anything else you're not telling us?"

"I know who you are."

**So sorry for the long wait.**

**Translations:**

**Kanojo - Sweetheart**

**If you have any complaints, criticisms, requests, questions, concerns, parting remarks, et cetera, et cetera… hit the review button.**

**Until next time…**

**Shadow Master Seek**


	12. Missions, Missions, and More Missions

**Greetings, authors and readers…**

**JackOfAllTrades-MasterOfSome**** – Sakura will not have a turn around. My ideas have already been in place for a while, so I won't be changing it.**

**Hee-Ho Master – Yes, people generally freak out when they think the worlds most powerful demon might be loose. Pretty funny reactions, no?**

**For Dragon Man 180 and all who wish to know more about the Niwashi:  
The Niwashi are a thirteen man secret organization who have made it their mission to remove Ne from Konohagakure.**

**No true names are given, only their numbers. Ex. Naruto is Jusan/Thirteen.**

**Numbers do not represent rank, rather whom they have replaced.**

**All thirteen are masters of whatever weapons craft they chose.**

**If there are any further questions, send me a message or review.**

**Thank you to all who have left comments.**

**For those who didn't… you know who you are… so do I.**

**Ahem… On with the Fic!**

Nana stepped back, fear flickering in her eyes. "What do you mean you know who I am?"

Naruto smiled beneath his scarf. "I _know_ who you _both_ are," he said, looking both Roku and Nana in the eyes.

"How?" asked Roku, crossing his arms. "How can you tell who we are when we don't know who each other are?"

Naruto closed his eyes and squeezed the bridge of his nose, sighing with exasperation. "When your eyes can't help you solve the problem, rely on your other senses," he said.

He looked up and stared both of them in the eyes. "I listened! Both of you helped me as a child. Isn't that right, Hebi-chan, Taka-san."

Both stepped back as Naruto said their ANBU codenames.

"Mitarashi Anko, Tokubetsu Jonin, former ANBU, codenamed Hebi, kanojo of Hatake Kakashi. Gekko Tatsumaki, Jonin, former ANBU, codenamed Taka, brother of Gekko Hayate," whispered Naruto, speaking only loud enough so that the others wouldn't hear. "Close?"

"Holy shit," said Tatsumaki, amazed at Naruto's knowledge about him. "How do you know that?"

"Being friends with the Sandaime is a useful way to gain information, no?" asked Naruto, baring fangs as he grinned beneath his scarf

Tatsumaki whistled. "Nice…"

Just as Naruto was about to speak, Ichi and the rest assembled around the table. "Roku, Nana, Jusan, join us at the table, if you please."

The three friends went to their seats, all staring at Ichi. Naruto leaned back in his chair, idly spinning a saber handle on his forefinger.

"How goes the interrogation, Ichi?" asked Naruto, gesturing to the prisoner with his unoccupied hand. "Learn anything good? And by good I mean targets."

"Yes, Jusan, we did find out a great deal from him, thanks to your seal master friend," said Ichi, leaning forward on his elbows, hands clasped in front of his face. "We have ascertained the location of four bases, names of seventy undercover Ne operatives, and schedules of weapon shipments."

Ichi fell silent, allowing the dozen other Niwashi to absorb the information.

Naruto grinned as he ceased to spin his saber hilt and leaned forward on his elbows.

"When do we strike?"

**The next day…**

Naruto walked down the street, whistling with his hands behind his head. _This is shaping out to be a great day. Ichi's given me a target to test me, I have friends among the Niwashi, and we're beginning missions today. What could be better?_

Naruto turned the corner and saw Sasuke balancing a kunai on his finger, point down, as he waited for the rest of his team in the middle of the bridge.

Sasuke looked up as Naruto approached, smiling as his brother in arms copied him, balancing a knife on his fingertip. "You're early, Naruto."

"You're earlier, Sasuke. What's up with that? Hoping Kakashi-sensei would be on time if you showed up early?"

Sasuke flicked his finger, launching the kunai at Naruto.

Naruto waited to till the last second, catching the knife between his fingers. After spinning it a few times, Naruto returned it, sending it back faster than Sasuke threw it.

"That wasn't very nice, Sasuke. It's Hinata who throws pointy stuff at you, not me," said Naruto, laughing as Sasuke plucked the kunai out of the air barely an inch from his face.

"It was to see if you were awake. I don't want to fail a mission because I have to save your worthless ass," said Sasuke, replacing his kunai in its holster.

"Right…" drawled Naruto, who was leaning up against the rail of the bridge, as he replaced his own knife with a flourish in a seal close to his kidney.

"Where do those things go when you put them away? I never see any sheathes," said Sasuke.

Naruto pulled back his cloak to show the seals across the back oh his shirt. "Storage seals. Makes packing easier."

"Ah…"

Naruto and Sasuke waited in silence, Naruto slipping into meditation, Sasuke falling asleep standing up.

"Sasuke-kun!" shouted Sakura, diving at her crush.

Sasuke, still asleep, immediately took a step to the right, making Sakura fly right over the railing.

Into the river…

_Sploosh!_

Naruto and Sasuke came out of meditation and sleep as Sakura plunged beneath the surface of the river.

"What was that?" asked Sasuke, looking over his shoulder down at the water, the surface rippling, reflecting water in his eyes.

"Someone suffering from rabid fangirl tendencies, probably."

Both looked at each other.

"Sakura," they chorused.

**Two hours later…**

Kakashi shunshin'd to appear atop the Shinto gate by the bridge. He smiled as he surveyed the scene.

Naruto was leaning against one railing, deep in meditation. _He's always doing that?_

Sasuke appeared to be sleeping, leaning against the other railing. _Great, he's following Naruto's example. I'm screwed…_

Sakura lay in the middle of the bridge, looking as if she had just climbed out of the river. She appeared to be trying to dry off by sunlight.

He leapt down and tapped Naruto on the shoulder. Naruto blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light after being closed for so long and asked, "What's up, Kakashi-sensei?"

Kakashi jerked his head at the half-drowned looking kunoichi. "What happened to her?"

"Sasuke avoided a fangirl tackle and she landed in the river," Naruto deadpanned.

"Hm…" said Kakashi, adopting a thinking pose. "Sakura, work on your element of surprise. Sasuke, good job."

Sakura weakly let out a "You're late," going for screeching but failing.

Sasuke shook himself awake and nodded at Kakashi. "Morning, Kakashi-sensei. Time to head for missions?"

Kakashi nodded as he walked away from them, gesturing for them to form up behind him. "Yes, missions start today. Missions are given out in the tower. Let's hurry or we'll be late."

Naruto and Sasuke shared a look as if to say _hypocrite _as they formed up behind Kakashi, Sakura following close behind, opening her mouth to ask Sasuke for a date.

"Sas-"

"No."

**Konoha forest…**

Naruto crept through the foliage, silent as the grave. He was using the Force for multiple functions: eliminating sound from his footsteps; if any, moving leaves and sticks from his path, masking his scent, and sensing for the target. The combined might of the Force and his natural talent for stealth made him as untraceable as a wraith's shadow.

He breathed deep, inhaling the lush smell of the forest around him. Feeling the dirt beneath his boots, the bark's roughness beneath his hand, and the light filtering down from the canopy. All was automatically processed in Naruto's mind as he stalked his prey.

The target stopped, yellow eyes flitting back and forth, searching for any sign of enemies.

Naruto smiled underneath his mask, fangs bared. _She'll never know what hit her_, he thought, breathing accelerating as he tensed for a spring.

_One quarter of a second for the leap, another for the takedown, and a fifth for tying her up,_ thought Naruto, readying the rope for his attack.

"Blue, in position," he whispered, speaking through the mike strapped to his throat.

"Black, ready."

"Green, almost in position."

"What's the hold-up, Green?" hissed Naruto, watching the target sit at the stream running through the clearing, pausing to take a drink from the crystal waters.

"My hair is caught in a bush," whined the kunoichi of the team. "Sasuke-kun, could you help me?"

Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi all sighed collectively, causing Naruto to flinch at the feedback through the earpiece of the radio.

"Black, moving to support Green," sighed Sasuke, leaving his post across from Naruto to aid Sakura.

Naruto turned the dial on his radio, isolating the frequency on his radio so only Sasuke would hear him. "One day, she's gonna get herself or us killed."

"No kidding."

"Blue. Take the target on my signal," said Kakashi, rubbing his temples a mile away from the target. _Hinata. Should have tried for Hinata. Hell… even Ino would have been better. Why the fuck did I just take Sakura?_ Kakashi thought, wishing he rewind time to somehow circumvent the problem at hand.

Naruto tensed once again, his eyes twinkling with excitement.

He tensed…

And waited…

"_Go go go._"

Naruto shot out of the bushes, landing not two feet from the target. A quick spin took her off her feet, flying backward in the air. As she neared the apex of her fall, Naruto wrapped his rope around her arms and legs, tying a quick but secure knot.

Setting the target down, Naruto smiled and activated his radio.

"Target captured. Identity confirmed. _Endex_."

**Back at the Hokage Tower…**

"Tora!" cried Madam Shijimi, crushing the poor cat into her… chest. "I'm so glad these brave shinobi got you back to me safe and sound."

Naruto inclined his head towards Kakashi. "These missions really suck."

Kakashi smiled beneath his mask. "I know, I know."

Naruto looked back to the loving reunion playing out before him.

_Just a little harder… squeeze her a little harder…_

**That night…**

A shadow sped through the trees, invisible against the dark sky of the new moon. Like Darkness personified, the masked ninja expertly made his way through the forest.

Coming to a stop in the fork of a tree, the shadow stopped, surveying the place before him.

The entrance to an underground compound lay before him, ninja in dark clothes and white Ne masks patrolling around in a pattern made to prevent any blind spots.

_Double guards… three patrol rings… tougher patterns for each ring… Danzo, you sonofabitch, you trained them to be emotionless, not caring if they lose comrades or not._

The masked shadow drew a pair of cylinders, holding them open ends down in a reverse grip. Crossing his fingers, he created two clones.

Naruto smiled beneath his mask, eyes changing from his normal blue to the crimson that only happened when he drew on Kyubi's power.

A tinge of red coated him, not enough to be seen in the darkness, but enough to be seen by Naruto, whose eyes were able to see light in the darkest of nights, thanks to Kyubi's modifications.

"Ne has infested the garden…" said Naruto, looking his clones in the eye.

"It's time the Niwashi cleaned up."

Blades ignited with a sinister hiss, unleashing black blades, blades that gave off no light. The trio leapt from the tree, blades thrumming through the air, death following silently behind.

The outermost ring of Ne ANBU reall never knew what hit them. Wraith-like shadows loomed behind the Ne ANBU an instant before blades separated limbs and heads from their owners bodies.

The other two rings did not fare much better.

The middle ring was annihilated, saber blades spinning, stabbing and hacking limbs off. One of them actually raised a blade to defend himself, but his steel was useless against a lightsaber.

How does one defend his- or her-self from invisible attackers?

A master of the Force would have sensed the attack before the attacker had even formed the thought. Unfortunately for the Ne ANBU, they don't have the Force.

The final ring the original took out alone.

_When it's the last fight of the night, one must use his best tricks to keep them sharp and useful._

Naruto's first attack cut one Ne in half. He followed through on the attack, spinning around to the Ne's partner, now unshielded by his partner.

Naruto launched a titanic Force push, sending the white masked Ne flying into a tree…

Head first…

At approximately six hundred and fifty meters a second.

Needless to say, the Ne was history.

Naruto smiled as the Ne was _pushed_ to his doom before circling around for his next target.

A short Ne was next in line.

Naruto reached out of the shadows and caught the Ne by the head. Lifting her off the ground, he invoked his favorite use of the Force.

Lightning crackled from Naruto's palm directly into the Ne's head, eliciting a shriek muffled by her mask. The Ne slumped, supported by Naruto's grip.

A Force enhanced kick sent her corpse away, drawing attention to where it fell.

The last three were Naruto's favorite.

Two slices neatly bisected the Ne agents. After the second cut, Naruto spun on his heel and performed a backhand upward slash. His blade whistled through the air, two feet from the third Ne. An ineffective move for anyone but a Force user.

As the slash was completed, a Force push flowed out of it and turned the Ne into a cannonball, sending him into the trees.

Naruto straightened and deactivated his blades. Looking around, he nodded to himself at the carnage he had partaken in, steam rising from the scorched body parts.

"Fifty-two down…" Naruto paused, sensing with the Force.

He smiled. "One hundred and eighty two to go…"

With that, he entered the underground base, putting his sabers away and retrieving a scroll with a very powerful explosive seal written in it.

After the stairs, four tunnels stretched out into the darkness before him.

_Where to put this thing… Kyubi, any ideas?_

_~ Eeenie, Meenie, Miennie… hey, Moe!~_

_That's what I thought,_ thought Naruto as he headed down the tunnel Kyubi had used his scientific method to choose.

Naruto smiled as he was forced to leap onto the ceiling to avoid a pair of Ne. Supporting himself with his legs, braced against the wall in the splits, he drew a pair of whisper knives from their seals on the back of his cloak. Sabers would give them to much of a warning, since they were underground, therefore the humming could not be mistaken for bugs.

_Death from above_, thought Naruto as he dropped to the floor.

As he fell, he buried the knives in the Ne's heads with a thunk, using their bodies to slow his descent. Naruto crouched between the newly made corpses, straining to hear any hint of an alarm or other such signal.

Finding none, he withdrew his knives from the skulls of the Ne with a faint half-sucking, half-squelching sound.

Replacing his blades, he crept deeper into the Ne nest.

_Fee Fie Fo Fum, I smell the blood of a… Ne? Damn it, that doesn't rhyme._

**Two hours later…**

Naruto walked out of the base, having successfully planted the bomb without alerting the entire base to his actions.

"Okay, let's see: Infiltrate base… check. Plant big-ass explosive seal with the explosive power of four hundred and twenty regular explosive tags… check. Watch the ensuing fireworks and chaos… in progress…"

Naruto paused in mid-step. _I believe I have forgotten something… for the life of me I can't remember what it is…_

Naruto looked down at his wrist to the stopwatch he had timed to tell him when the bomb was going to explode.

Five… four… three…

_Oh… get to a safe distance… that's what I forgot…shit…_

Naruto realized this at the exact moment when the world erupted into flames.

**Four hundred meters away…**

_I really love the Force,_ thought Naruto as he crouched by a tree, watching the former base send flaming debris into the sky. _Not to self… Get out of ground zero _before_ the bomb explodes…_

Naruto stood and dusted himself off. _Now, to head back to the Forest for some sleep._

**Two weeks later…**

"I really hate this cat," said Naruto, carrying Tora in a sack reinforced with leather. Previous experiences had taught him that the cat had very sharp claws.

Better to not take chances.

"How many times have we 'rescued' that cat?" asked Sasuke, also hating these missions with a passion, shooting a glare at the wriggling bag.

"Twelfth time this week," chimed in Kakashi, falling into step beside them. "But, look on the bright side: That's fifteen D-class missions. We have enough for a C-class."

Sasuke and Naruto grinned. _Finally, a chance to use some… _destructive _techniques…_ they both thought.

"Let's go," said Naruto, blurring out of existence. Kakashi and Sasuke followed suit, disappearing as well.

Sakura hung her head. _I really need to train harder till I can do that._

**Hokage Tower…**

Having safely returned Tora to her owner, Naruto, Sasuke, and Kakashi leaned against the back wall, waiting for Sakura to show up.

Naruto pulled out a scroll and began to read, making notes in the margins as he read. _Interesting… the trigger is fear…hm… I wonder…_

Sasuke sidled over and tried to read the scroll over his shoulder, attempting to be discreet.

Naruto immediately closed the scroll before Sasuke could manage a word. At Sasuke's look he spoke up. "Sasuke, I'll explain later," he said, stowing the scroll in a loop at his belt.

Sasuke scowled at Naruto but sidestepped back to his original position.

Kakashi looked at his watch and began counting down. _Five… four… three… two… one… and enter Sakura._

The door slid open, letting the panting Sakura slump into the room.

The Sandaime looked up from his paperwork. Smiling, he said, "Now that the team is assembled, we can continue with your next assignment. Other D-class missions are grocery shopping for the council, babysitting the academy students, painting the Inuzuka Kennels-"

Naruto held up a hand and spoke up. "Jijii, my team and I humbly request a C-class mission. We have the required amount of D-classes done."

Hiruzen began to reply when the door opened, letting Kurenai and her team into the mission room.

Kiba and Akamaru were talking to each other, both barking. Naruto ascertained, with some help from Kyubi, that Akamaru was trying to trick Kiba into giving him a bone. Kiba, unfortunately, knew better.

Shino was still stoic as ever, surveying the room behind his tinted lenses. As usual, he was standing at the back of the group, hands in his pockets. _Probably conversing with his Kikaichu,_ thought Naruto.

Hinata smiled as she walked in, only to grin wider at the sight of Naruto and Sasuke. Hinata mouthed 'I love you' at Naruto as she walked over to the Hokage with her team.

Naruto watched her walk, blue hair bouncing with each step. _She must have been working on her Juken,_ thought Naruto as she seemed to float rather than walk gracefully with her teammates. _That Juken really makes your body movements refined and graceful._

"Hokage-sama, my team is requesting a C-class mission. We have accumulated the required number of D-class missions," said Kurenai, gesturing to her team as she spoke.

Hiruzen smiled. "What a coincidence.** (Isn't it?)** Kakashi and his team have just applied for one as well," he said, gesturing to Team seven, who now assembled in a line a few meters from the desk.

"Unfortunately, Konohagakure has only one C-class mission in its books as of this morning. Things are usually slow in this season. More assassinations than escort missions these days. Kakashi and Kurenai will have to figure out a way to choose who gets it."

"Hey, Sasuke," whispered Naruto, tilting his head towards his friend. "Fifty says it's Jan-ken-pon."

"You're on."

Kakashi and Kurenai glared at each other good naturally and prepared for one of the most challenging battles that could happen between two people:

"Jan-ken-pon!" they shouted, each throwing out a hand.

Naruto smiled as Sasuke's jaw dropped. "Pick your jaw off the floor and pay up, Uchiha."

Sasuke handed over the bills as Kakashi held up his hand.

"Scissors beats paper, Kurenai. Looks like I win," drawled Kakashi, smiling beneath his mask.

"Fine," growled Kurenai, turning back to the Sandaime. "Team eight requests a D-class mission."

The Sandaime handed her a scroll and she and her team left.

"Well, now that that has been settled, now I can brief you on your mission: you are to escort an herbalist, his family and his supplies to Kusa," explained Hiruzen, smoking his pipe. "Team seven will provide protection for the duration of the trip. Any questions?"

"No, Hokage-sama/Jijii," said Team eight and Naruto.

"Very good. Yakusou? Please come in," called the Hokage, looking to the side door.

It slid open, revealing a man dressed in green, his hair a mix of grayish-silver that hung over one shoulder in a long braid. His eyes were a deep green, revealing the gaze of a man who has seen much…

_Perhaps to much_, thought Naruto, placing his scroll into a seal and settling into a relaxed stance.

"Konnichiha, Konoha-nin. Arigato for your assistance in this matter," said Yakusou, putting his hands to his sides and bowing at the waist.

Naruto and Sasuke immediately bent into their own bows, though they never bowed their heads too much. It was an unspoken rule for shinobi to never take their eyes off an opponent.

_I recognize that voice_, thought Naruto, remembering the Niwashi meeting. _So this is the unmasked form of Ni? Great… he doesn't need any help on anything lower than an A-class._

Naruto, Sasuke and Yakusou straightened from their bows, turned towards the door, and left.

Naruto placed a hand on Yakusou's shoulder, stopping him in the hallway out of the tower. "Niwashi, codenamed Jusan," mouthed Naruto, smiling at him.

"Niwashi, codenamed Ni."

_I really have a bad feeling about this._

Yakusou smiled as he and Naruto walked out of the tower into the light. Yakusou tapped a quick message onto Naruto's shoulder. _Many enemies, beware._

Shit, thought Naruto. _This does not bode well._

**If you have any complaints, criticisms, requests, questions, concerns, parting remarks, et cetera, et cetera… hit the review button.**

**Until next time…**

**Shadow Master Seek**


	13. A Mission Beneath a Mission

**Greetings, fellow authors and readers.**

**Chewie Cookies – No Sakura won't die on this mission. And no, Hinata will not join Team 7 when Sakura gives up her mortal coil.**

**Dragon Man 180 – Customer only paid for one team. Konoha only provides what they're paid for… most of the time.**

**Bloodfox64 – They the wave mission soon get it soon.**

**Thank you to all who have left comments.**

**For those who didn't… you know who you are… so do I.**

**Ahem… On with the Fic!**

Naruto walked along side the wagon carrying Yakusou's supplies, smiling as he juggled a handful of knives, unnerving Yakusou's wife and daughter.

"Don't worry," said Kakashi, startling the pair as he appeared silently beside them, his nose in his book. "Our blonde companion is very good at what he does."

Naruto let one of the blades slip from his hand before catching it an inch from his face, eliciting as gasp from the mother and daughter. He smiled as he looked their way, giving them a playful wink.

"What does he do?" asked the young girl, looking up at the silver haired ninja with innocent blue eyes.

"Everything and nothing," called Naruto, having heard their conversation,

Mother and daughter shared a look of confusion as Kakashi slowed his pace to walk next to the wagon and Naruto added another couple of knives to the other airborne ones.

Yakusou walked up from behind the wagon, bumping into Naruto slightly as he went to join his family. Naruto stumbled but never let a blade fall from his hands, lest he harm one of the civilians he was charged with guarding.

Naruto replaced his knives after a final flourish, throwing all the knives into the air and catching them by spinning in a complete circle to catch the deadly rain of blades. He smiled at the amazement apparent on Yakusou's family's faces as well as Sakura's as he reached into his pocket for the message Yakusou had placed there when he collided with him.

_The Niwashi wish for me to assassinate a Kusa-nin who is allied with the Ne. He supplies them with the weapons, armor and poisons Danzo can't gather at Konoha. He will have a large Ne force guarding him and his home, so I am glad you are here to help. It could be rather difficult._

Naruto smiled as he touched the small seal at the bottom and released a sheaf of papers into his hands. Blueprints, patrol patterns, shift changes, everything they needed for a successful assassination.

_~Hell yeah! Time to kill some motherfucking Ne!~_ shouted Kyubi, pausing halfway through his Makashi pattern to shout his feelings to Naruto through their mind link.

Naruto smiled, agreeing with his inner demons assessment. _It has been a while since we've bloodied blades, hasn't it?_

Kyubi's roar of agreement echoing through his head,

Yakusou's daughter wandered over to where Naruto was, looking at him curiously as he spun a knife through his fingers. "How do you do that?"

"Magic," replied Naruto, crouching to her height. "What is your name, young one?"

"Aki."

"Want to see another magic trick?" asked Naruto, putting his knife in the seal on the inner side of his cloak.

Aki nodded vigorously, smiling at her new best friend.

Naruto raised his hands, waved his fingers and rose to his feet.

Aki stared at him, waiting for something to happen. "Aren't you gonna do a trick?"

Naruto just pointed down, raising an eyebrow.

Aki followed his finger, staring down at her feet…

which were two feet off the ground.

"Wow!" shouted Aki, amazed how she was floating in midair.

"See? Magic," said Naruto, waving his fingers again, lowering Aki back to the ground. "Now, go back to your kaasan and tousan. I have to be on guard."

"Okay, bye!" said Aki cheerfully, skipping back to her father's side to tell him about her flying experience.

Naruto resumed his juggling act, smiling as he listened to his new friend's story. He closed his eyes and focused on throwing his knives.

What everyone didn't know was that he was using the Force to scan the surrounding area, constantly on the look out for enemies, whether they were shinobi or common bandits made little difference to him.

The horses pulling the cart snorted as Naruto's senses brushed their minds, though Naruto quickly calmed them, just in case they were to get spooked.

_~Oh, look… is that a bandit?~_

**Four hours later…**

They reached the gates without any problems.

Due to Naruto's senses, he was able to pick off the random bandit before he was even able to attack. As soon as he felt the intent of the bandit, one of his knives would 'magically' disappear, having been thrown at a speed that even Kakashi could not see. Invisible to both eye and ear, the knives flew directly to the heads of the bandits, ending their approach.

This occurred a few times over the hours, reducing Naruto's knife count by about a dozen.

It was nearing evening when the convoy reached the walls of Kusagakure.

The gates of Kusa were impressive.

It was almost the same as the gates of Konoha, though they were half as tall. The walls were also half the size. Despite its size, the walls impressed Naruto and his group because of the camouflage.

The walls were either painted or carved to resemble the grass and bamboo forests that stretched around it. If one were to look on from a distance, all he would see is rolling grassland and bamboo forest.

Naruto whistled, effectively stating everyone's opinion about the city.

As they approached the gates, two guards stood up, surprising a few of the group.

Both wore ghillie suits, allowing them to blend right into the environment. Their masks, armor and even their weapons were covered in camo-netting.

Naruto had smelled them a mile away. Ghillie suits can become very hot after a while, which makes the wearer perspire. The smell of sweat was one of several scents Naruto used to track enemies.

Sasuke had done some research before leaving Konoha and were prepared for such a greeting, surprising as it was to see it with his own eyes.

Kakashi had been to Kusa before, during his time as a student under Namikaze Minato. He knew how they hid. Being enemies had taught him about their combat and stealth techniques very quickly. Being here after all these years brought back both good and bad memories.

Yakusou pretended to flinch in surprise, though Naruto was sure he was merely keeping the facade up. Though, due to the close proximity of his family, Naruto noticed Yakusou's hand come close to his pocket. Naruto was relatively certain that Niwashi's blow tube was hidden in that pocket.

"Halt!" called on of the guards, holding his left hand up while his right was on the handle of his camouflaged ninjato. "State your business!"

Kakashi walked ahead of the group, holding a letter in hand. "Team seven of Konoha, escorting herbalist Doku Yakusou and his family," he said, offering the letter to the man.

The guard who spoke stepped forward and accepted the letter from Kakashi as the second guard came up behind his partner.

_Probably standard procedure when dealing with foreign shinobi_, thought Naruto as the guard handed the letter back.

"Welcome to Kusagakure. Shinobi, please report to the Kage's office to be debriefed. Also, be aware that one of our THORN units will be watching you. Merely a precaution," said the guard. With his greeting finished, the guard turned back and resumed his position, blending almost seamlessly with the environment.

Naruto and his teammates walked down the main road, heading for the Kage's office. A tower would negate the camouflage of the city, so the Kage had set up his office on the second story of a large building in the center of the village.

Yakusou and his family had to branch off to go to their new home. Before they left, Naruto and his team shook hands with Yakusou, wishing him luck on his future endeavors.

Yakusou and Naruto shared a grin as they parted. _We don't need luck. We just need the enemy to be stupid…_

**Kusakage's office…**

The Kusakage sat behind his desk, looking over the endless flood of paperwork that comes with being a Kage. He sighed, wishing he had the chance to go on missions again.

He started at the sound of a knock at his door. "Come in," he called.

"Kusakage-sama, a group of Konoha-nin to see you," his secretary said, sticking her head into the room.

"Thank you, Hikari. Please, send them in," said the Kage, leaning back in his chair.

"No need," said Naruto, leaning against the back of the chair, Sasuke, Kakashi and Sakura leaning against the wall behind him. The Kusakage nearly leapt out of his chair. _I never heard him enter. What is he?_

"Welcome, Konoha-nin," said the Kusakage. "How do you find Kusagakure?"

"Hard to see," said Sasuke, smiling. "Your ninja are well trained in blending in."

"I second that comment," said Sakura, trying to impress Sasuke… again.

"We know, Sakura," said Kakashi as he pulled his Icha Icha Paradise out of his pouch and began to read.

"Very nice," said Naruto. "It truly is the 'Village hidden in the grass.'"

"Thank you. Your compliments give me feelings of pride and joy. I must insist you stay the night, seeing it is getting rather late and we have had a slight problem with bandits in the surrounding area. Probably not a threat to ones such as yourselves, but I would rather send you back to the Hokage alive than have to send you in body bags. Only for your safety, of course."

Team seven exchanged glances… well, the ones who heard the underlying threat did.

Sakura was clueless as usual.

Naruto smiled. "With your leave, Kusakage-sama, I would like to enjoy the sights of your magnificent city," he said, bowing low from the waist.

"Please, do as you wish," said the Kage, a charitable smile on his face.

Naruto and Sasuke immediately left, leaping out the window behind the Kage, closely followed by Kakashi and Sakura.

Naruto turned to his friends. "Find an inn and get us a few rooms. I gonna go check on Yakusou and his family."

"Sure, Naruto," said Sasuke, turning on his heel and heading down the street, on the lookout for an inn that was relatively safe. _We're in enemy territory now_, thought Sasuke, watching a duo of white-masked men following them by rooftop. _We'll have to be careful, even though Konoha is allied with Kusa._

**With Naruto…**

Naruto watched Sasuke lead Kakashi and Sakura down the main street. _They'll be fine_, he thought, smiling as the camouflaged THORN units followed his teammates.

A quick sniff around saw him walking down a side street, following the scent of Yakusou's poisons. He smiled as he walked over the threshold of Yakusou's new store, watching his friends putting flowers and herbs on shelves.

"Konnichiha, Doku family," said Naruto, startling the wife and daughter. Yakusou smiled at his friend, having heard him come in. _He's got ears like a kitsune, that one._

_~Untrue. _We've _got ears like a kitsune. He's just got good ears.~_ said Kyubi, studying a scroll within Naruto's mindscape, writing notes on another.

_Ha ha. What are you working on?_

_~Nothing.~_ replied Kyubi, innocently rolling his note scroll and slipping it beneath his robe.

"Naruto! To what do we owe this pleasure?" asked Yakusou, brushing dirt off his hands as he walked over to shake hands with his guard/ally.

Shaking hands with Naruto, Yakusou tapped a message on Naruto's wrist.

'_You will accompany me?'_

Naruto nodded, almost imperceptibly, earning himself a hidden smile.

"Naruto-kun!" shouted Aki, jumping into Naruto's arms and giving him a hug.

"Hello, Aki-chan," said Naruto, smiling at his little friend as he swung her in a quick circle.

Putting her down, Naruto turned back to Yakusou. "I just came by to see if you are getting settled in. Things are looking well around here."

"Thank you, Naruto-san," said Yakusou, inclining his head in thanks. "Shall we see you again?"

"We are staying the night in Kusa, under the watch of the Kage. We leave in the morning."

Yakusou nodded in understanding. "Then… I guess this is good bye?"

"I will see you again, my friend," said Naruto, shaking Yakusou's hand before he left.

'_I will meet you by the gates at midnight,_' tapped Naruto, staring Yakusou in the eye, channeling a small amount of Kyubi's chakra to make his eyes flash red.

Yakusou nodded as he released his friends hand and turned back to his work.

**Twenty minutes later…**

Naruto knocked on a door, scenting his friends beyond the wooden barrier. He smiled as he listened to Sasuke rise and approach the door, drawing a kunai as he went.

"Who's there?" asked Sasuke through the door. Naruto imagined him leaning against the doorjamb, kunai ready to plunge through the door at the first sign of an enemy.

"The Kokushu Warufuzake," said Naruto, wishing his friend could smell as well as he did. _It would save time…_

"It's Naruto," called Sasuke, opening the door. "What took you so long?"

"I was gone for half an hour. Hardly a long period of time," stated Naruto as he entered the room and doffed his cloak.

He placed it on the couch, looking about the room.

Kakashi reclined on the floor, his head in one hand and his book in the other, silently reading. Looking up, he nodded at Naruto. "Any problems?"

"None," replied Naruto, leaning against the wall. As he looked around, he noticed that his pink-haired team mate was not in the room.

"Where's Sakura?"

Sasuke came up behind him and answered. "She's in the shower. Said she wanted to get the dirt of the road off."

Naruto nodded once before heading for a corner. He sat down, leaned back and promptly fell asleep.

**Four minutes to midnight…**

Everything was shrouded in darkness; shadows within shadows, like all the light in the world had been covered or extinguished.

To one who could not see in the dark, or to one who depended on their sight, it would have been their worst nightmare.

The shadowed form of the sleeping Naruto opened his eyes, blue-eyed slitted pupils dilating as to

Allow him to see in the dark, like a giant cat or other nocturnal predator.

A quick look at the clock ascertained what Naruto already knew: in less than four minutes, Yakusou in his Niwashi gear would arrive at the gates of Kusa.

From there, he and Naruto would journey to the other side of the village and assassinate Baikokudo Tadokoro, the Kusa weapons merchant that was a major supplier of Ne.

His death would eliminate one of the sources of supplies for Ne. Not enough to eliminate Ne's hold on Konoha, but enough to make the blow sting.

_Danzo's going to be pissed as hell_, thought Naruto rising from his seat. He left his cloak on the couch, as its coloring would stand out against the night.

_This mission won't be a smash-and-grab_, thought Naruto, checking over his knives and saber hilts.

_~I know… I only wish we had some time to kill all the Ne in the place.~_ said Kyubi, readying his own collection of knives.

Opening the window, Naruto leapt from the ledge, journeying into the night.

Sasuke looked up as Naruto leapt out the window beneath him. He had been practicing his meditation, trusting his ears to alert him if any Kusa assassins approached.

_Naruto usually knows where I am. Why didn't he know I was there?_ Sasuke thought, perplexed. Maybe his mediation had something to do with it. He had cleared his mind, letting all his senses go silent… almost.

"Now I gotta follow the baka, make sure he doesn't do something stupid," grumbled Sasuke, leaping off the roof in a graceful double-flip to follow his blonde teammate.

**Gates of Kusa, midnight…**

The legendary Ni walked through the streets, cloak flapping slightly around his ankles as he approached the gate. His right hand held a ninjato loosely, lethally glinting slightly in the moonlight. His left hand held his blowtube, his weapon of choice.

Jusan had talked with Nana, who told him stories of the deadly Ni, the second member of Niwashi. His poisons and darts killed hundreds of Ne units and left many paralyzed… or worse.

As he walked to the gates, a hand shot out of the shadows, caught him around the throat, and dragged him into the shadows.

Ni reacted instinctively, grabbing the hand and spinning around, putting his attacker into an arm-bar. His free hand brought his knife to the man's throat.

"When you try to attack a man, make sure you know something about getting out of this type of situations," whispered Ni, pressing the blade against the man's throat.

Jusan spoke up from behind him, leaning against the shadowed wall, smiling beneath his mask. "And you should be more aware, Ni, since the man you're holding is a kage bunshin."

To emphasize Jusan's point, his clone vanished with a muted 'poof' and a puff of smoke.

Ni looked over to see his friend's eyes twinkling with suppressed mirth. "Not bad, Jusan."

"I have my moments," said Naruto, shrugging in an innocent-like manner.

"That you do… have you reviewed the documents?"

"Yep," said Naruto, tapping the side of his head. "Damn-near photographic memory."

"Good. We'll approach from the east side, slip past the guards, enter Tadokoro's room, slit his throat and leave before anyone knows we're there."

"Good plan… bold, simple… fucking impossible… let's go."

"Go where?" asked Sasuke, coming around the corner to stand with the shadowed forms of Jusan and Ni.

Ni immediately put Sasuke into a headlock, a blade at his throat and a forearm across his windpipe. "Jusan, you know him?"

"My teammate, Uchiha Sasuke."

"Is he a threat to the cause?" Ni asked, tightening his grip slightly, causing Sasuke to struggle as his airway was closed.

"No," said Jusan, pulling Ni's arm so that Sasuke could breathe, causing to flop to his knees gasping for air.

"What do we do with him?"

Naruto thought for a moment. "We'll take him with us."

Ni looked at him as if he were insane. "Are you insane? He's going to get us caught if he comes with us!"

"He's an Uchiha. A little stress would be good for him… if you know what I mean…" said Jusan, throwing a pointed look at Ni.

Ni looked confused for a moment before looking at Jusan with realization on his face. "Would that work?"

"Yeah, I think it would," said Jusan, pulling Sasuke to his feet.

"Naruto?" choked out Sasuke, still holding his throat.

"Not now. You're coming with us. We have to kill a man named Tadokoro. His death will hinder the organization trying to undermine Konoha. You will follow our commands to the letter. Understood?"

Sasuke looked up at the masked faces of Ni and Jusan and noted the glint in their eyes. _I have to help them…_

"Understood."

"Good. Let's go," said Ni, striding off down the street, cloak swirling sinisterly around his ankles as he walked. Jusan followed, his own trenchcoat flapping silently in the night.

Sasuke walked beside his friend, and looked him over, noting the differences between the Naruto he saw everyday and the man before him.

His entire wardrobe had changed. His normally sand-colored coat had changed to a deep blue, almost black. The symbol he wore on the shoulder had disappeared as well, replaced by an armored shoulder pad with whisper knives strapped to it. It also sported a hood, which Jusan had left down for the moment.

At Jusan's belt, now non-ragged, were two saber hilts, deceptively non-threatening, and a straight katana with a guard-less hilt thrust through a leather loop. The blade had a ricasso, an unsharpened section of the blade above the hilt which competent users would wind a finger around for better control. _It's a blade made for killing_, thought Sasuke, amazed.

His leather boots were the same ragged, worn leather, though they now had knife holsters strapped to them, adding another set of knives in his arsenal to the ones in easy reach.

The main thing that disturbed him the most was that now Jusan wore a dark blue mask, covering his distinctive whisker birthmarks. The mask wrapped around his head, covering his blonde hair. The mask left only his eyes uncovered, which now had a red tint to them rather than the cerulean color they normally were.

The mask had a pattern to it, white lines against the bluish-black. When you looked at it right, the outline of a kitsune head would be seen, teeth bared in a feral smile.

Sasuke shook his head, amazed how little he knew about his blonde friend.

His eyes flicked over to Ni, who wore a greenish-black trench coat. A bandolier stretched from right shoulder to left hip, filled with various knives, some of which had cotton dipped in poison weaved through the holes in the blades, and senbon needles, poisoned as well.

His sword also fit into a loop at his belt, though his was a ninjato with a black blade. A twisting dragon stretched from tip to hilt, fangs bared and blowing fire, red eyes almost glowing against the green scales.

_Great_, thought Sasuke as Jusan handed him a hooded cloak, not unlike his own, and a cloth mask. _I'm aiding a pair of psychopaths in a mission, deep in enemy territory, with an unknown number of hostiles ready for the slightest alert._

Sasuke shook his head as he pulled on the cloak and mask. _I'm fucked…_

"Let's go," said Ni, leading the way into the night.

**If you have any questions, comments or a random string of profanity you would like to share, hit the review button.**

**Until next time…**

**Shadow Master Seek**


	14. The Time has Come

**Answering questions:**

**Arashigan16 – You'll see.**

**Fury074 – I guess I mean Chokuto now. Thanks for correcting me.**

**Dragon Man 180 – Excellent idea. It will be implemented… somewhere…**

**For future reference, whenever a character is performing a mission as a Niwashi, he will be called by his number.**

**Also, to all who wanted to see Naruto/Jusan assassinate someone in the middle of the night/cloak and dagger style, I have changed my mind.**

**Thank you to all who have left comments.**

**For those who didn't… you know who you are… so do I.**

**Ahem… On with the Fic!**

Four cells of Kusa-nin patrolled the inside of the perimeter wall, all alert for any sign of trespassers. Their pattern seemed random enough, but, if one was patient, you could see that there was a pattern.

Also, if one were to look close enough at the faces of the shinobi, they would notice that the Kusa-nin wore white masks with the kanji for Ne carved into the forehead.

**Forty meters away…**

Jusan removed his hand from the roof he knelt on, brushing dirt off on his boot as he consulted a sheet of paper. He had sent the Force through the earth and felt the vibrations of the Kusa-nins footsteps. Noticing a discrepancy, turned to Ni and said, "The pattern has changed."

"You're sure?" asked the poison master, confused. "Why would they have changed?"

Sasuke spoke up, pulling his hood down over his eyes. "Maybe they knew you were coming."

Ni swiveled around to glare at the Uchiha, eyes almost glinting. "Impossible. Only the Niwashi knew we were coming."

Jusan turned back to the target's house, concentrating.

**Target's office…**

Tadokoro was not a happy man. He slammed a fist down on his desk, enraged.

"Danzo promised that my participation would be completely hidden from our enemies!" he raged at the Ne captain before him. "My identity was supposed to be hidden! Undetectable!"

"No matter the promises, our spy tells us that the Niwashi are targeting you, aiming to cut off our weapons and supplies. If you fall, our work suffers delays… and Danzo-sama does not accept delays," said the Ne captain, his voice low, calm, and dangerous. Tadokoro shivered as the masked shinobi's words pierced his tirade. The man was scary, even though his mask hid any facial expression.

"Well… take care of them. Kill them! I don't care how you do it, just do it quickly."

**With Jusan, Ni and Sasuke…**

Jusan opened his eyes, a small amount of shock going through his system. He quickly turned back to his comrades. "They _did_ know we were coming. Danzo and his Ne were tipped off."

"Who would know?" asked Ni, shaking his head. "Only the Niwashi kn…"

Ni's voice trailed off as he put two and two together… and came up with five.

"We have a spy amongst us."

Jusan nodded. "The target's assassination will have to wait. We need help from the rest…" he said, trailing off thoughtfully. "But whom do we trust?"

Ni smiled beneath his hood. "How fast can you get a message to Konoha?"

"Three hours, at tops. Why?"

"If you get a message to San, he'll get Nana, Roku and Kyu. All three owe me one, so I'm sure they can be trusted," said Ni, pulling a piece of paper from a pocket and scrawling a quick message.

Jusan nodded as he flipped through a few hand seals.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu," he said, slamming a palm onto the roof.

Out of the resulting smoke came a four-foot tall, red tailed eagle, carrying a pair of short katanas stuck in a red sash at its waist. Golden eyes glared at its blonde summoner. "Why hast thou summoned me, Uzumaki-san?"

"I need you to get a message to a friend of mine, Nokona, and then summon your brother to provide transport."

"Very well," said the hawk, bowing his slightly in acceptance and respect. "We will be back soon."

"Tell him to ask Jijii to provide a cover for us the rest of them," said Jusan, handing the note to his summon.

"Very well," said the hawk, turning away. He spread his wings and took off, heading to Konoha at a high speed, mighty wings thrumming through the air.

Jusan turned back to his friends, both showing a similar look of bewilderment.

"When the fuck did you get a Hawk summoning contract?" they chorused.

Naruto grinned his trademark grin.

**The next day, 0845…**

Naruto and Sasuke had snuck back into their room at two in the morning, getting back before Kakashi woke in time to take his watch. Yakusou had returned to his family's house, waiting for the arrival of the Niwashi reinforcements. They were to arrive in time for the assassination. Naruto had sent the details of how it would go down to Sukoppu, who would redistribute it to the rest.

After Kakashi had gone out to gather some food for the rest at the market and Sakura was in the shower, Naruto and Sasuke were discussing their next move.

"Tadokoro is meeting with the Kage today, to take part in a parade celebrating a victory against Iwa. He'll ride with the Kage in his palanquin. We'll have to remove some guards, but that won't be a problem with five Niwashi and an Uchiha," said Naruto, showing Sasuke a map of the parade grounds.

Sasuke nodded his understanding. "Looks fun."

"Yeah. One question, though: how are you with long range throws?"

Sasuke stared at Naruto, annoyance plain on his face. "You know how well I throw, dobe."

Naruto laughed as he used a minor katon jutsu and burnt the paper.

"Sasuke-kun? I can't reach my towel! Can you help me?" called Sakura from the washroom.

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other before shaking their heads.

_What kind of shinobi is she?_ They both thought in unison.

_Kami hates me, that's what it is,_ thought Naruto, quickly crossing the room and threw a towel into the bathroom. It flew like a boomerang, curving through the air, helped by the Force, before flapping over Sakura's face.

Turning back to Sasuke, he said, "I'll send a pair of shadow clones with them when we 'leave.' They'll be under a henge so well made that Kakashi won't be able to notice the difference. When we're finished, I'll transport us back and we'll kawarimi with our clones and continue to Konoha."

Sasuke nodded, pulling a new pair of weapons from his pack and began oiling them, preparing for battle.

"Sounds like a plan."

**Kusagakure parade grounds, 1204…**

Tadokoro and the Kusakage smiled and waved to the crowd as they were carried through the parade grounds, surrounded by ten shinobi with long-bladed spears. The spearmen wore heavy armor, metal plates glinting in the sunlight.

The crowd's mood was euphoric, making Tadokoro almost forget about the Niwashi assassins out there, waiting for the right moment to strike. He waved to the crowd, reveling in the cheers sounding in his ears.

The masked and cloaked form of Jusan stood in the shadow of a side alley, smiling grimly behind his mask as the Kusakage and Tadokoro rode past. _Now, we finish this…_

He began his walk, exiting the alley and joining the crowd, threading his way through the happy masses. He pushed his way through, making good time even though he boxed in on all sides.

Above him, a Ni on the rooftop took notice of his approach, drawing a kunai and taking aim at the intruder. Before he let the kunai fly, a shadow fell across his mask. He looked up to see another masked and cloaked nin, though this one had locks of straight violet hair poking out from under her hood, poised to slit his throat with a kunai slash.

The blade sang through the air before cutting through the Ne's throat. He slumped to the roof, crimson staining the once pristine mask.

A pair of Ne stood in Jusan's path. One took notice of the masked figure immediately, drew his sword and charged him. His partner followed suit, drawing a pair of kunai as he ran.

The first was downed by an airborne kunai in the back of the neck, lodging deep between the vertebrae of the man's spine. He grasped at the back of his head as he fell, trying in vain to remove the kunai.

His partner fell to a similar fate, a kunai to the throat spilling his blood on the street.

Jusan passed their fallen corpses, not sparing them a glance. The crowd parted before him, splitting like the Red Sea. Whisper sprang up as he passed, the villagers wondering who he was and why he was here. Jusan's pace was calm, as if he had not nearly been killed three times. The only thing that mattered to him now was his target.

A second pair of Ne noticed the crowd parting behind them. They turned to find Jusan a foot from them. He flicked his hands, causing to knives to fall out of his sleeves into his palms.

Both knives sought a resting place in the Ne's throats. One grasped at Jusan's arm as the blade cut deep into his throat, the other letting a grunt of pain escape his lips as they both fell to the road beneath their feet.

Two of the guards around the palanquin noticed the Ne falling to the ground, blood pooling around them. They unlimbered their spears and took a step towards Jusan.

Before they could take a second step, he quickly threw the knives, embedding them in the chests of the spear-nin, passing through their armor like a razor through tissue paper. They fell grasping at the knives, more victims of the Niwashi.

The rest of the spear shinobi encircled Jusan as he halted in the middle of the street, their spears aimed at his throat. He smiled beneath his mask, not caring that eight razor-sharp blades were inches from his throat.

Tadokoro chuckled as he stepped off the palanquin. "Jusan of the Niwashi. Brave of you to stand alone against me, but also quite foolish," he said, smiling as the guards brought the spears closer to Jusan's throat.

Jusan took no notice of their actions, ignoring them as he reached out and caught a hawk feather out of midair.

"Assassin," Tadokoro growled, a sinister grin spreading across his face.

Jusan looked up as a hawk let out a scream. He nodded at his allies, using the Force to find hidden on the roof tops.

The circle of spearmen disintegrated, each falling with a throwing knife in their back, neck or chest. Jusan casually pushed one to the ground as he stumbled forward. As the man fell, he took a step forward with an air of arrogance. The unspoken 'Can you stop me?' was clear to Tadokoro.

Tadokoro was startled at the quick decimation of his men. _How?_ He thought as he gestured for two men to attack the assassin. As they attacked, Tadokoro surveyed the rooftops, looking for the knife throwers. _How many are there?_

The closest attacker went for an over-hand strike, hoping to strike Jusan's head from his shoulders. Jusan ducked the strike and cut out his knees as he flew past, his inertia helping Jusan's chokuto slice between the knee joints. He fell, grasping at his shins, which now lay two feet from were they should be.

The second went for a low strike, aiming to do the same to Jusan. A spinning hop over the blade left the nin stumbling a few steps before he, too, fell, the blade of Jusan cutting his neck so deeply he was almost decapitated.

Jusan flicked his blade, allowing the blood to slide off, leaving his steel glinting in the sunlight.

"THORN!" called Tadokoro, summoning his five squads of personal Kusa guards.

The five four-man squads came in two single-file lines out of the building, forming up around Tadokoro, who drew his own sword. He smiled as he outnumbered the Niwashi assassin.

Jusan smiled as he saw Tadokoro's eyes widen as his allies formed up behind him.

Sasuke, again wearing his borrowed cloak and mask, twirled a pair of hook swords. He had been training with them since the time he began a genin. _Naruto is a good teacher,_ thought Sasuke.

Roku, wearing his brown hooded cloak and a shit-eating grin, had a short blade in his left hand and his punch dagger in his right.

"Greetings, Jusan," he drawled as he rolled his shoulders, loosening his muscles for the main event.

Ne twirled his blow tube in one hand and his dragon-marked sword in his other, ready for battle.

Nana flicked her hands, letting four senbon fall between her fingers in each hand. "Konnichiha, Jusan. Nice weather we're having."

Kyu nodded his greetings. Jusan inclined his head in greeting to all, analyzing the unknown Niwashi.

Kyu was about six foot, eight inches, towering above his comrades. His face was hidden by a deep hood and a large mask, nearly reaching the edge of the hood.

Kyu wore worn leather boots, ragged leather straps wrapped around his legs up to his knees, binding a knife holster to his right boot. His belt was ragged leather, a variety of knives thrust in their respective sheaths. A large knife was strapped to his thigh in what Jusan assumed was a quick-draw holster.

He wore a black short-sleeved shirt with a red cross on the chest, arms bare. A half-cloak covered his left arm, the strap crossing his chest also holding a trio of throwing knives.

It was the weapon he held in his hand that drew Jusan's attention: an eight foot tall wooden staff with a voulge at the top.

"Ready?" asked Jusan, twirling his sword.

It was Kyu who spoke the feelings of all. "Even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil, for we are the meanest sons of bitches in the valley."

"That's what I thought," said Naruto.

As one, the Niwashi charged the twenty-one men. A few feet from the enemy lines, they leapt over the Kusa-nin's blades, bypassing the deadly steel.

The first five men were dropped with skull-crushing sidekicks. The Kusa-nin's heads snapped back, their necks breaking under the force of the Niwashi's blows.

Their line broken, the Kusa-nin scrambled to avoid the blades of Sasuke, Jusan, and Roku, the voulge of Kyu, the seemingly endless supply of senbon from Nana and the poison darts of Ne.

Out of the sixteen men who remained after the kicks, three lost their heads to the long-reaching blade of Kyu, twirling the heavy pole arm as if it were as light as a baton. His eyes were alight with the joy of battle.

Another was dispatched by a poison dart. The ninja collapsed, the poisons in the dart burning through his veins, feeling as if his blood had been replaced with acid.

Sasuke took two down with his swords, decapitating one by crossing his blades and drawing them apart, and hitting the second with the pommel daggers by hooking one blade on the other.

Roku deflected a blade with his forearm before sticking his punch dagger through the solar plexus of his attacker. He pulled out the dagger as he blocked a blade from behind his head with his short blade. The dying man dropped, trying to force his lungs to draw in air. He spun to attack an enemy, his blades a flurry of bloodletting steel.

Nana dropped a Kusa-nin twelve feet away, her senbon peppering the man from chest to eye. He fell grasping at the little needles, trying to remove them from his eye, heart and lungs.

Jusan sliced one across the stomach, causing him to bend over to try and hold onto his guts. Jusan rolled over him, kicked his legs out from under him, and used the Force to push the body away, pinning Tadokoro to the ground with the dead weight.

Four Kusa-nin launched themselves at the Niwashi, hoping their surprise attack would surprise the assassins. Their eyes aflame with anger at the casual slaughter of their comrades, they roared the wordless battle cry of anger.

Before they even made it three feet from them, they were riddled with throwing knives of all sizes, senbon and many poisoned darts. The men stumbled, still trying to attack despite the sheer mass of damage inflicted on them. One made it within striking range, though he fell with a gurgle as Sasuke slashed out his throat.

Sasuke closed his eyes as the arterial blood spray splashed over his face, momentarily blinding him. He wiped his eyes clean with his sleeve as he turned away. He opened one eye in time to see the last Kusa-nin launch a slash at his face.

_Oh, fuck_, thought Sasuke as he tried to make the block. He moved to slow. He blinked as he prepared to meet the Kami.

Jusan leapt in front of Sasuke, catching the slash with his face, the blade carving a path from hairline to his chin, cutting through his eye.

Sasuke opened his eyes to see his friend bleeding, blood dripping off his face onto the ground, some spreading down his face in a gruesome mask.

Within Sasuke, something broke, unleashing a feeling of power. Sasuke felt as if he had just eaten four soldier pills, his body so energized he was nearly quivering with unspent energy.

The Kusa-nin went for a finishing blow on Jusan, blade raised for a throat slice. He swung his arm down.

He was confused when his arm came down, only to find a stump of an arm, the other half falling to the ground, still holding the sword.

He looked up at his attacker and noticed something different: his attacker now had red eyes.

"Sharingan," he whispered before the hook sword sliced his head from his body.

Sasuke turned to see Jusan grinning, his eye and face healing fast enough that when Sasuke took a double take, all that was left was blood staining the mask he wore. "What are you smiling at?"

"I knew that would work," said Jusan, pointing at his eyes. Sasuke held up his hook sword, using the steel to see his reflection. His eyes saw the red iris and a black tomoe surrounding it.

He grinned beneath his mask. _Finally, I've unlocked my kekkei genkai._

A groan drew the attention from Sasuke's newest addition, draw the Niwashi's gaze to Tadokoro, stilled pinned to the ground by the weight of his guard's dead body. He strained against the man's weight, but he wasn't strong enough to shift the dead weight.

"Ah… Tadokoro, I presume…" said Jusan, striding forward to stand over him. "You've been orchestrating the delivery of various weapons, poisons and supplies to the organization known as Ne. For these crimes, I, Jusan of the Niwashi, condemn you to death. May the Kami have mercy on your soul."

Jusan raised his sword and quickly cut the man's head from his shoulders. Tadokoro's head bounced away, landing facing the Kage's palanquin, its eyes glazed over in death. A pool of blood formed around the head, adding to the blood spatters across the street.

The Kage's blubbering drew their attention to the palanquin. The Kage was cowering and crying like a baby, huddling in the corner of the shoulder cart.

"Ah, Kusakage-sama…" said Jusan, flicking his sword in a quick arc to clean the blood off. The rest of the Niwashi did the same. Each slash and blood spray made the Kage flinch, making Jusan's previous assumptions of him vanish like smoke in high wind.

"We have judged Tadokoro accordingly," said Jusan, drawing on Kyubi's chakra to make his eyes flash red. The Kage shrank even further in the box, trepidation clear on his face. "I judge you, now."

Naruto turned away, bit his thumb, and flashed through five hand seals. A giant plume of smoke appeared, concealing the Niwashi.

The Niwashi reappeared atop a giant hawk. The hawk had a katana in its sash and a scar crossing its face above its beak. He turned a freezing glare on the Kage and the other ninja who appeared on the scene.

Jusan stood and turned back to the Kage, his eyes still red. "I find you wanting."

With that, he leapt atop the hawk. With a flap of its mighty wings, the Niwashi flew off into the noon sky, leaving the bloodstained earth as a testament to their prowess.

**Five hundred feet above the earth…**

"So," said Naruto, pulling off his mask and throwing back the hood of his cloak as he sat on the hawk's back. "What's your story, Kyu?"

"Well," said Kyu, pulling back his own hood and mask, mirroring his ally. "My name is Araiiai Dantto, former Jonin of Konoha, honorably discharged. My fiancée was murdered while I was fighting during the Third Great Shinobi War. The man who killed her was part of Ne. Only when my revenge is complete can I join her, my quest fulfilled."

"Where'd you get that halberd?" asked Sasuk, wind ruffling his hair as they flew through the air. He openly stared at Dantto's choice of weapon.

"Took it off a dead Iwa-nin. He didn't need it."

Naruto looked over the side of the hawk. Noticing four specks on the road to Konohagakure, he smiled. "Sasuke, this is our stop."

Naruto stood and addressed his friends:

"Gentlemen," nodding to Roku and Dantto.

"M'lady," bowing to Nana. "I'll say hi to Kakashi for you."

"You will always remember this as the day I leapt from a giant hawk five hundred feet above the earth."

With that, he pulled Sasuke with him, over the edge.

**If you have any questions, comments or a random string of profanity you would like to share, hit the review button.**

**Until next time…**

**Shadow Master Seek**


	15. New Enemies to Kill

**Thanks to all who reviewed.**

**To all who said the assassination was from the E3 trailer for Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, you were right. And, yes, I twisted Captain Jack Sparrow's lines to suit my own purpose.**

**Twylyte – Very true, the sudden stop is what kills you. Anyways…Kage Bunshin transfer experience. Like my teacher says: "Three hundred times for reflex, three thousand for muscle memory." If Naruto has a hundred clones going all at once, he'll have the three thousand really quickly. All physical training has to be done by himself, however. He didn't learn Soresu in three hours, more like a week and a half.**

**Zechslittlevoice – Personally, I hate the typical stuck up Uchiha. I prefer it when Naruto or someone else changes Sasuke's opinion on life, makes for a much better read. I'll admit the typical Uchiha arrogance is useful in stories that bash Sasuke. Also, there are seven Niwashi who have not been named. Retirement and death is nothing new in the Niwashi. Kakashi could be invited. I will admit, I look forward to writing Kakashi's reaction to Anko already being in the Niwashi, if it plays out that way.**

**Oraman Asturi – Kawarimi uses something in the ninja's sight line. They need to see their Kage Bunshin to swap places with them. Hence the hawk summon.**

**Dragon Man 180 – Who's to say he didn't? Two things **_**could**_** happen, Tadokoro didn't know, Naruto returns and finds the spy anyways or Tadokoro did know and Naruto finds the spy anyways. Anyways, someone's going to die.**

**Turbomagnus – In truth, I never really meant Kyubi's line as anything more than a joke. Once I saw the AC:B trailer, I knew I had to do something with it, though I didn't know how to fit it in. Not until later, when I was rereading my work, did I realize I had set something up without knowing it. Enter the spy.**

**Road to Konoha…**

Kakashi and his team walked down the road, unaware of the carnage that had been released on Kusa after they left, nor did they notice two falling specks, silently descending through the air at great speed.

**Approx. 356 ft. above said road…**

"If this fall doesn't kill us, I'm gonna kill you!" shouted Sasuke as he fell, spread eagle, towards the ground, trying to slow his descent. "How the hell are we going get out of this?"

**Back in Kusa…**

Ni had vanished, leaving the disrupted festival to die out by itself. _I just want to get home_, he thought, walking down the side alley, slowly removing his Niwashi attire and sheathing his katana.

"Hello, Ni."

Yakusou turned and smiled up at the cloaked form of Jusan, sitting atop a building like a gargoyle, watching him. "You _can_ read my mind. Nice trick."

"You wished to talk, my friend?" asked the assassin, jumping down to stand in front of him.

"I'm getting to old for this," said Yakusou, indicating the sheathed katana in his fist. "I want to stop the fight, spend my days running the store with my family, you know?"

Jusan nodded, understanding completely. Ni wanted his old life back, the one where he didn't have to lie to his wife about where he was, where he didn't have to wonder about what would happen to his family if he died. He wanted to be there when his family needed him, not off on some mission for the Niwashi.

"You will always have a place amongst us, brother," said Jusan, holding out his hand, a last parting of warrior brothers. "Be safe."

Yakusou grabbed the offered hand and pulled him into a hug, forcing the younger man's spine out of alignment. "Good-bye, Jusan."

They released each other and turned away, Yakusou returning to his normal life, Jusan returning to the war that no one would ever know of.

"Jusan!"

Jusan stopped and half turned back, wondering what his friend wanted. He was surprised to see a large bundle of cloth fly at his head. Not so surprised, however, that he didn't catch it.

"What's this?" he asked, unfolding the cloak. Within the folds were all manner of darts and other poisoned weapons. Within a pocket were books, Yakusou's tight script filling the margins.

"That's all my gear, all my poison making supplies, all my knowledge. You never know when a little poison may save your life," said the man, smiling.

"Arigato, Ni."

"And here!" shouted the former Ni, tossing the katana he held at his friend. "You never know when an extra blade could help you as well."

With that, Yakusou walked away, leaving his shadowy life behind him.

Jusan caught the blade and stored it a seal, along with the other gear Yakusou gave him.

_Thus exits the master of poison, Doku Yakusou, greatest bearer of the title Ni. He will be missed, though his actions will be remembered throughout the organization. I'm still alive, but you are gone. I remember you, so you are eternal. _

With a few hand seals and a little blood, Jusan summoned a hawk the size of his forearm.

He nodded at the avian, mentally giving him the necessary coordinates. That done, he locked himself into a seal on the bandolier of the falcon, ready for transport back to Konoha.

Amidst the chaos of the assassination, no one noticed the hawk take flight, heading home, kage bunshin in its seal.

**Back in mid-air…**

Naruto merely smiled as he pulled off his Jusan attire and weapons, quickly storing them in a seal on the side of his neck, all whilst in mid air. Once back in his regular attire, looking very much like he had just walked out of Kaze no Kuni, he asked, "Remember how I'm telekinetic?"

"I really hope so!" shouted Sasuke, looking down at the rapidly approaching ground. There were only about a hundred feet between them and the unforgiving dirt. "Whatever you're gonna do, do it now!"

Naruto shook his head at his friend's reaction. _Who knew the mighty Uchiha was afraid of heights?_

He closed his eyes and concentrated, drawing on the Force. He welcomed the familiar rush of power and focused it, slowing their descent and maneuvering them into an upright position.

Just for the hell of it, he created an illusion for Sasuke that made it look like he was still falling. _I'm so evil._

_~Yeah… sure you are…~ _said the sarcastic voice of Kyubi, rolling his eyes at his container's antics. _For once,_ thought Kyubi, _can he do something really evil?_

…_Nah…_

A second or two later, their boots touched the dusty road, stepping off the air as if they had been walking for a long time.

Sasuke flinched, eyes shut as his feet touched the earth. After a few seconds and no painful impacts on his person, he opened one eye. Finding himself on the ground, safe and sound, he looked around for Naruto, ready to give him a piece of his mind.

Naruto was walking away, going to join Kakashi, Sakura, and the henge'd kage bunshins when Sasuke put him in a chokehold from behind.

"I'm gonna kill you!"

Naruto called on the Force, casually pulling him off his back. He turned around, set Sasuke back on the ground, and asked, "Is there a problem?"  
" We just fell five hundred feet! I thought we were gonna die!" yelled Sasuke, poking him in the chest.

"You whine like a mule," Naruto retorted, clapping Sasuke on the shoulder before walking towards Team 7. "You are still alive."

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort, but paused as he realized that Naruto was right: he was still alive. And, better still, he had activated his kekkei genkai, the Sharingan.

Life was good…

Sasuke sighed and looked skyward and silently cursed whatever deity deemed it necessary for him to be here with Naruto. _I'm going to die before I'm twenty, I just know it._

**Heaven...**

Kami consulted her lifeline charts. _Hm... this is interesting..._

**Back on the ground...**

As one, Naruto and Sasuke kawarimi'd with their clones, and walked back to Konoha, sharing a conspiratorial smile when Kakashi ordered them to hurry up, wanting to make good time back to Konoha… and Anko.

Naruto kept his face impassive as he watched his Hawk summon fly back to Konoha, much faster than the team. _If only he knew…_

**Konohagakure, a day later…**

The village was peaceful, just as they left it. Children running around playing games, adults buying and selling, walking and laughing and talking, regular civilian procedures.

Everything was fine… or so the civilians thought.

The returning team 7 saw the ninja side of the village… well, everyone but Sakura did. She was too busy fawning over Sasuke to notice. Naruto shot her a glance as she repeatedly asked if Sasuke was interested in a date. _This girl really needs to get serious or she'll get herself killed on the next mission…_

Naruto sensed the ANBU unit who patrolled the rooftops, fast enough not to be seen by the civilians. Other undercover ninja walked about, dressed like civilians. It was their movements gave them away. Each gesture was measured, an uncanny grace to them. This could be noticed by any ninja of worth.

Meaning Kakashi, Sasuke and Naruto saw the telltale signs that something was wrong immediately.

Kakashi shot a look up at the roof tops, meeting the eyes of a Taka-masked ANBU unit. A quick exchange of hand signs had Kakashi shooting a glance at the blonde Force user. _This is not good._

The ANBU had signed: Hyuga captured by enemy

Naruto read his mind and quickly accessed the Force, searching for the one Hyuga he cared most about. The next instant, he disappeared, the after image fading slowly away. Sasuke noticed one very ominous detail: Naruto's eyes had turned red. _This is not a good sign_, he thought as he watched Naruto's image blur and disappear.

Sasuke shook his head, wondering what this whole thing was about and ran after him, blurring out of existence as well.

Kakashi sighed, knowing he was about to get a headache. His ANBU handsigns were a bit rusty, but he had gotten the gist of the message. He shunshin'd away, leaving Sakura blinking at the gate.

"Where did everyone go?"

**Hokage's Office…**

"Where is she?" asked Naruto, his voice barely audible over the feral growl in his voice.

"Naruto, calm down," said Hiruzen, trying to placate the blonde who was actually emitting chakra. The elderly Kage actually felt a twinge of fear as he stared into the now violent crimson eyes of his surrogate grandson. "We just received word an hour ago."

"Who brought the news?" growled Naruto, eyes pulsing red with anger.

"Inuzuka Kiba, Aburame Shino, and Jonin Yuhi Kurenai," said the Hokage, leaning back against his chair. He took out his pipe and used a minor katon jutsu to light the tobacco. "They're in the hospital. They'll tell you everything.

Naruto left so fast the Kage didn't even see him move, leaving an afterimage to glare at Hiruzen until it faded from existence.

Sasuke and Kakashi stuck their heads through the door and quickly looked around for Naruto. Seeing Hiruzen all alone, they looked at each other and exchanged questioning glances.

"Come in, Kakashi, Sasuke. I have to tell you something…"

**The Konoha Hospital…**

Naruto walked into the room, noting the three ninja before him. Kiba and Shino were sitting together, talking in hushed tones. Akamaru sat at the end of Kiba's bed, looking as sad as a dog could possibly look.

Kurenai was staring out the window, a look of abject sadness on her face.

"Naruto?" asked Kiba, noting the red eyes of his friend standing in the doorway. Shino and Kurenai whipped around to face the blonde ninja, noting the barely controlled expression he wore.

"What happened?" he growled, eyes glowing. The members of Team 8 felt a twinge of fear, listening to the bestial tone in his voice. Akamaru whined, not used to this feeling.

Kiba was amazed, though still afraid. _He's not even using killing intent_, he thought, bewildered.

The stoic Shino spoke up, pushing his sun glasses up on his nose.

"It's a long story…"

**Two days ago…**

Kiba was nearly bursting with excitement as he walked down the dirt road with his team.

After they had finished with their D-class mission, Kurenai had led the team back to the Hokage's office and asked for a C-class, hoping there was one available after Kakashi and his cell had taken the first one out from under their noses.

"We just received a new one, suitable for your team," said Hiruzen, reaching into his desk for the scroll. "Tazuna-san has hired a team to escort him back to his homeland. It's low risk, just protection from bandits and the like. It should be good for your team."

"Arigato, Hokage-sama. When do we leave?" asked Kurenai, placing the scroll in her kunai pouch.

"Tazuna!" called the Hokage. "We have a team for you."

The door to the waiting room slid open, revealing the customer.

Tazuna was a carpenter, judging by the faint smell of wood about him. The aroma was almost missed, however, by the stink of alcohol, the bottle in his right hand.

He wore a black sleeveless shirt and tan pants, a hat hanging on his back from a cord around his neck. He was an elderly man, his hair grey from age.

He had a look of skepticism on his face, looking over each member of the team.

"This is my ninja team?" he asked, disbelief plain on his face. "I get a model who's probably afraid to break a nail, a kid who looks like a dog with a puppy, a blind girl who looks like she'd trip over anything and a guy who has bugs crawling over his hands?"

Each team member blinked as Tazuna spouted off each first impression of them.

Kurenai was stuck between feeling flattered, enraged and insulted.

Kiba was contemplating murder, along with Akamaru. _Stupid little drunk! _

Shino looked down at his kikaichu and shrugged, not really caring what the drunken man said.

Hinata raised an eyebrow at Tazuna's assumption of her. _He thinks I'm blind?_

Sarutobi Hiruzen was currently fighting a rather large attack of laughter, the corner of his eye twitching as he sought to contain his amusement.

Taking a deep breath, Hiruzen calmed down. "Tazuna-san, this is Team 8, led by Yuhi Kurenai. They have proven themselves to be a formidable force. You're safe with them."

"Sure…" said Tazuna, taking a swig from his bottle. "What ever you say."

They had set out within the hour, heading for Nami no Kuni.

Shino spoke up, breaking the silence. "Tazuna-san, are there ninja were you come from?"

Tazuna nearly tripped over his own feet at the mentioning of the word 'ninja,' causing the rest of Team 8 to watch him out of the corner of their eyes, silently gauging his reaction.

"No, no, no. No ninja, only random bandits and vagabonds and such," sputtered out Tazuna, sweat forming on his brow despite the cool weather. "No ninja."

Shino looked at Kurenai, who nodded in agreement. There was something wrong…

Definitely wrong.

Hinata turned her Byakugan on, actively scanning for enemies, since Tazuna seemed almost on the edge of bolting for any possible shelter, eyes darting from one side to side.

Two chakra signatures appeared at the edge of her vision, about a hundred meters ahead. By the fluctuations, Hinata assumed they were using a henge of some sort.

A quick look at Shino, Kiba and Kurenai with a raised eyebrow assured her that she was not the only one to notice.

Shino had been sending kikaichu out ahead of him, scouting for foreign chakra. One of the destruction beetles had sensed the chakra emanating from the puddle and reported back to Shino, forewarning him.

Kiba and Akamaru had scented the hidden ninja, the odor of the human body quite distinct despite being diluted because of the water.

Hinata began to whistle a jovial tune, smiling all the while as she channeled some chakra to her hands in preparation for her Juken.

As they walked past the puddle, Hinata close enough to nearly step in it, two men rose from the puddle, both wearing clawed gauntlets and breathing masks. One jumped into the air, trailing a shuriken chain from his gauntlet.

He landed on the other side of Kurenai, looping the bladed chain around her. With a pull from either side, the chain tightened and cut through the Jonin, turning her into piles of meat.

Team 8 didn't even flinch, already in motion.

Hinata struck a trio of points on the nukenin, effectively cutting off all motor control to his arms and legs.

Shino and Kiba attacked as one, using a few quick punches from each of them to the second nukenin's jaw, knocking him into dream land.

Hinata dragged the first to a tree and spun a hoop of ninja wire around him, binding him to the tree. Kiba and Shino tossed the second to her, whom she bound to the tree as well.

"Kurenai-sensei! You can come out now!" called Hinata, finishing a knot with a tug.

Tazuna nearly jumped ten feet in the air as Kurenai stepped out from behind a tree, a mere foot away from him. "Wh-wh-when? How?"

Kurenai shot him a sideways glare. "Kawarimi, a ninja's best friend."

She then looked at the two ninja bound to the tree. "Gozu and Meizu, if I'm not mistaken. The Oni Kyodai, known for their coordinated attacking. Nukenin for about a year, from Kirigakure."

Kurenai turned to her client, who was now sweating buckets as she turned her red-eyed glare at him. "I was under the impression that there were no ninja with a contract on your life, Tazuna-san. Why is there a pair of chunin after you?"

Tazuna sighed and sat on a log, pulling off his hat. "My country couldn't afford an A-class mission price, so I lied. If I don't make it back alive and finish my bridge, Nami no Kuni will be under Gato's thumb for ever."

Hinata looked over as she double checked the knots in the wire. "Gato? Of Gato Shipping Co.?"

"Yes. Gato has impoverished our land, turning us into a hunger-stricken country rather than the monopoly we used to be. As long as the bridge to the mainland remains unfinished, we are doomed to die, hungry in our own land," said Tazuna hanging his head. _There… I've told them everything… now they're going to leave me to die from the next bandit or assassin Gato sends._

Kurenai looked over at her team, noting the masked emotions. Kiba was barely containing a look of rage while Shino was stoic as he usually was, though he was repeatedly clenching his right hand, a sign Kurenai had linked to Shino's strongest anger.

Hinata was perfectly calm, though her eyes betrayed her. A slight squint to them told Kurenai everything she needed to know.

"Despite your deception," she said, making Tazuna look up, a faint glint of hope in his eye. "We will accompany you to your homeland and provide protection until your bridge is finished."

Tazuna had a grin so wide Hinata was surprised that his cheeks didn't rip open. He slipped to his knees and kowtowed to the ninja, thanking them profusely.

"Get up!" Kurenai commanded, pulling Tazuna to his feet by his collar. "We have a lot of walking to do, so get moving!"

After a minute of punching the nearly-conscious Demon Brothers back into the dreamscape, the group set off, once again heading to Nami no Kuni.

**That night…**

Kurenai sat on a log she had pulled close to the fire, silently watching the forest for any sign of an enemy. It was only another hour until Hinata would relieve her, though it seemed like forever to one so sleep deprived. _I knew I shouldn't have let Asuma stay over last night…_

A twig snapped, causing her to jump up from a seated position and spin a hundred and eighty degrees, drawing a kunai as she went.

Four men in black cloaks stood behind her, their faces covered by their hood, shielding their identities.

One stepped forward, hands held up placidly. "We do not wish to harm you, Yuhi Kurenai."

"How do you know my name?" she asked, drawing a second kunai. She silently focused her chakra and sent a trio of bursts at the tents of her genin, hoping the chakra pulses would awaken them.

"You shouldn't have done that, Yuhi," said the man, a distinct threat in the undertone of his voice.

Hinata, Kiba and Shino simultaneously burst out of their tents.

Hinata had chakra in her hands and her Byakugan activated, dropping into a Juken stance beside her sensei.

Kiba and Akamaru had performed their jujin bushin as they exited their tent, turning Akamaru into a clone of Kiba. As one, they activated shikyaku no jutsu, changing to more feral-like appearances; their canine teeth, their finger and toenails growing to claw-like length, their eyes becoming wilder with their pupils becoming slits.

Shino had bugs slowing out of his sleeves, forming ominous, writhing black clouds at his hands, the bugs silently flying around him.

The added effect of the fire flickering behind the team gave them a fightening appearance. Usually such an effect would cause their enemies to give them second thoughts, perhaps even making them turn tail and run.

The black cloaked men, however, were unimpressed.

The man in the lead held up his hand as the three behind him tensed up, preparing for a fight.

"Stop!" he barked, freezing the men in mid-action. Adressing Team 8, he said, "We do not wish to fight, Konoha-nin."

Kiba growled from his crouched position, Akamaru providing an overtone. "We wont let you kill Tazuna, assassin scum!"

The rest of the team nodded in agreement with what thei feral teammate said. They readied themselves, suspecting this was going to be a fight to the death.

They were surprised when the black-clad man asked, "Who?"

With a confused look on her face, Kurenai asked, "Tazuna, the bridge builder?"

At the blank stares, she added, "The one Gato hired you to kill?"

Again with the blank stares.

"Oh, you mean the civilian," said the man, indicating the last tent with a jerk of his head. "No, no, no. We aren't here for him."

This statement caused more confusion to the members of Team 8, making them look at each other with question laden glances.

"Then who are you here for?" asked Shino, bugs still flying from his sleeves.

"An excellent question, my Aburame friend," said the man, waving a hand in Shino's direction as he began to pace between the two lines of fighters.

"We are here for the Child of the Prophecy."

"Who?" chorused the genin and jonin, confusion across their faces.

"Her, of course," said the man, pointing at Hinata.

As one, Akamaru and Kiba growled, Shino glared, and Kurenai narrowed red eyes at the men.

"There's no way in hell we're letting you take her!" yelled Kiba, claw-tipped fingers digging into the earth.

The man sighed, shaking his head. "We do not wish to fight."

"Too bad! If you want her, you'll have to fight for her!"

The man galnced at his companions and nodded.

In unison, they each flicked one of their wrists, dropping a weapon into their hands.

"Very well," the man said, forming the tip of a wedge.

The men charged, their glowing blue and green blades buzzing and crackling in the night air.

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	16. Of Knights and Nukenin

**VFSNAKE – Yes, the shit has now hit the fan.**

**Chewie Cookies – You're not missing anything, I will be explaining the 'Prophecy' in question soon enough.**

**thonot – Yes, Kakashi and Naruto have more than enough experiences that they can put Sakura through if they want to. Under normal circumstances, I would have them go through that way, though I've already decided to put my story on a different route, one that calls for Sakura to be a whiny little fan-girl.**

**And now, the chapter in which I introduce one of my favorite characters!**

**Konoha, Niwashi HQ. 2300hrs…**

Jusan sat at the end of the table, his fingers steepled as he listened to the Niwashi argue, each trying to ascertain the best solution to the 'missing Hyuga problem,' as they called it.

"Why not leave her? We have more pressing matters than the kidnapping of one Hyuga."

"If we leave her, who is to say that Kumo won't hear about it and try to buy her from these men? We exist to eliminate Ne and protect Konoha. If we let Kumo, or any other, nation steal the powers of our kekkei genkai, they will inevitably be used against us, sooner or later. We must save the Hyuga."

His eyes flashed red as he heard Ju suggest that the Niwashi just leave Hinata to her fate. _You will die, traitor, for revealing us to our enemies. You only draw breath because I care more for my Hinata than your betrayal. Your time will come_, he thought darkly, slowly letting his rage dissipate. _You can wait…_

_~Now is not the time for discussion!~_ yelled Kyubi, practically snarling from within. _~These so-called Master of the Force must be shown whose boss. No one takes what is precious to us and gets away with it!~_

"Enough!" shouted Jusan, effectively ending all other conversation in the room. The eleven Niwashi in the room froze as they felt an immense chakra pulse, emanating from their newest member. Ichi opened his mouth so speak, porbably to reprimand the teen, though Naruto beat him to it.

"I am leaving for Nami no Kuni. None of you will be following me," he said, holding up his hand to forestall any complaints. "I feel that Ne will be on the move in the days to come, hence the reason I will be taking Uchiha Sasuke along with me."

"Why would you take him?" asked Ichi, folding his hand before his face, leaning on his elbows. He looked up sharply as he realized what his intentions for the young Uchiha were. "You want him to join us?"

"Ni has left us to rejoin his family. I see no reason why the boy should not be asked to join us," said Nana, adding her two cents. "I saw him take down some of our opponents in Kusa, the elite THORN units. He's powerful, more so now than ever now that he has activated his Sharingan."

"I agree as well, Ichi." Everyone who had not been on the Kusa mission turned in surprise as the mountain commonly known as Kyu spoke, his deep voice rumbling through the meeting room. "The Uchiha has proved himself to be a strong warrior, worthy of my respect. I would be proud to be at his side on any battlefield."

Ichi was speechless for a moment, contemplating the recent commendation by Kyu. "Very well, Jusan. Take the Uchiha with you. If he's as good as you say he is, he will be an asset to the cause."

Jusan stood and collected his saber handles from the table. "I will return when the Hyuga is safe," he said, walking for the door.

Nana and Roku nodded to him as he left. Kyu gave him a casual salute as he passed his chair, dark eyes twinkling behind his mask.

Jusan pulled the lever that moved the fake stone that hid their headquarters and leapt out into the night, heading for the Uchiha complex. _Sasuke has a new mission,_ thought Jusan as he jumped through the forest

**Uchiha Complex. 2245hrs…**

The Uchiha complex was dark, its sole occupant fast asleep. Being the only Uchiha left, the entire complex had no guards, allowing a dark shadow to climb over the walls and crawl up the side of the Uchiha's room without incidence.

"Sasuke," whispered Naruto, crouched on the wall beside the vertical side of the window leading to Sasuke's room. "Get up, you lazy piece of shit!"

The window opened slowly, revealing the sleepy face of Sasuke, his hair a mess, one hand rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What," he asked slowly, "is so Kami-damned important enough to wake me at quarter to midnight?"

"I'm going after Hinata," said Naruto, talking as if discussing the quiet night around them, his eyes showing he was very far from here, probably sensing for Hinata. _Kami damn these Force users! They're blocking my sense!_

Sasuke's head snapped up, all anger forgotten, instantly alert. "Are you insane? Oh… right. You are! You heard the Hokage! We have no intel on these kidnappers. We have no idea who the 'Child of the Prophecy' is or what their motives are!" he hissed, staring at the blonde with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Besides, you have never disobeyed an order from the Hokage, why are you going to start now?" asked Sasuke, beckoning him in.

Naruto placed a hand on the top of the window and swung in, landing silent as a wraith and twice as deadly. "His orders have never held me back from someone I loved."

Sasuke grabbed a shirt and pulled it on, glaring at the blonde with activated Sharingan as he began to assemble weapons. "One day, I'm gonna need your help and I better not hear any shit from you. Why do I always get roped into these things?"

"You care for her almost as much as I do," said Naruto, reaching to a seal located on his back, just above his kidney. "Leave your all your shinobi gear, except for your hook swords."

"Why?" asked Sasuke, pausing in mid motion, a box of kunai in his hand. "Why no shuriken or kunai?"

Naruto pulled a saber hilt from beneath his cloak and tossed it to his black haired brother in arms. "The men who took Hinata do not fight with steel and iron. Their blades are like mine, able to cut through damn near anything. It's high time you learned some saber combat."

Sasuke caught the blade's hilt thumbed the activation switch, unleashing a blade as red as his eyes, humming slightly as he swung it in an arc. "Nice color."

"Nicer edge," said Naruto, activating one his own. "Use your Sharingan and copy my forms. We only have a few hours before the ANBU on duty change shifts."

"How do you know when the ANBU change shifts?"

Naruto formed a dozen kage bunshins behind him. "Our name is Legion, for we are many," they said, their voices combined to make an unnerving tone. The original Naruto smiled as Sasuke gaped for a second. "I'm Konoha's Kokushu Warufuzake."

"Right…" Sasuke said, rolling his eyes. "So how do these forms go anyways?"

Naruto activated his saber and assumed the starting stance of Makashi. "Since we'll be fighting other saber-wielders, Makashi will be one we'll be focusing on."

Sasuke watched Naruto, his Sharingan spinning. "One question: who named this shit?"

Naruto reached over with his free hand and slapped his brother upside the head.

**Gates of Konoha...**

A pair of ANBU walked past the gate, their white masks slightly visible in the dark, their cloaks blending seamlessly with the darkness. They walked through the gates, nodding to the two ANBU who were walking back into Konoha.

The returning ANBU raised their hands and formed a hand seal, one of the two seals the ANBU used to identify another ANBU unit. It changed every day or two, depending on the mood of the Hokage, thus making an ANBU disguise useless unless you knew what seal matched the other.

The outgoing ANBU flashed a hand sign and continued on their way. The lack of aggression towards them meant they had revealed the correct seal.

The two ANBU looked at each other as they entered the forest, making sure the other ANBU were out of range. One removed his mask, revealing onyx eyes and hair. "How did you kno… you know what? Nevermind."

The second ANBU removed his mask and cloak, dropping them onto the ground with a whisper of fabric and a clunk of porcelain hitting the ground. Underneath were Narauto's normal clothes, his sand colored cloak flapping slightly in the breeze. A porcelain half mask hung from his belt, made to cover his face up to his nose, leaving his eyes and forehead bare.

His trademark smile was in full effect as he started running, heading for the Land of Waves, Sasuke following behind him, his new lightsaber hilt tucked into his belt.

"Can you sense her?" asked Sasuke, swinging under a branch. "I mean, you'd know if she was…"

He trailed off, noting the slight tenseness to his brother's muscles. "Sorry," he muttered, focusing on his path through the forest.

**Two hours later…**

Naruto paused on a tree branch, crouched like the lethal predator he was. He held up his fist, causing Sasuke to halt right beside him. A question filled glance had Naruto signing in ANBU sign language, something he, Sasuke and Hinata had learned from Kakashi during a period between missions.

'Two chakra sigs, two kilometers ahead," signed Naruto, pointing directly ahead of him. 'High jonin level.'

Sasuke nodded and readied his saber hilt, his thumb hovering over the activator. 'Let's go,' he signed back.

They both moved as one, covering the distance between the chakra signatures in less than a minute. Silently, they peered around leaves and tree trunks, eyeing the pair sitting around a campfire.

One wore a sleeveless black shirt, his face wrapped in bandages that pooled around his neck. A Kiri hitai-ate was strapped to the side of his head, a single cut through the symbol of Kiri.

A giant blade was stuck in the ground, looming over the man who sat on the log. Assuming that he was correct, Naruto assumed the weapon was Kubikiri Hōchō and the man was Momochi Zabuza, the Kirigakure no Kijin.

The woman who sat beside him was dressed in the garb of a Kiri oinin. Her porcelain mask featured the symbol of Kirigakure in the middle of the forehead, a swirl starting from the right of the mask and ending in the center, and a curved triangle starting from the jaw line and ending near the center of the mask.

The man reached over and pulled his blade from the ground, showing a tremendous amount of skill as he held it one handed, outstretched to his right.

"I'm going for more firewood," Zabuza said, shouldering the giant blade. He quickly turned and left, leaving the oinin alone by the firelight.

Naruto and Sasuke leapt down from the tree and approached on foot, trying to be non-threatening. The oinin turned her head slightly as they approached the camp, merely nodding in greetings.

Sasuke and Naruto nodded as well as they cautiously looked around for Zabuza.

"Where's Momochi?" asked Sasuke, looking over his shoulder at where they had come from.

Naruto sighed to himself as his brother opened his mouth at the wrong time, reached over and pulled Sasuke out of the way, reacting as he felt the oinin's motive in the Force. The oinin had launched a trio of senbon needles at Sasuke, aiming for points that would severely hamper his ability to fight had they landed in his flesh.

Naruto held up a hand and caught the oinin in a Force grip, holding her in place. "Was that necessary?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at the teen he immobilized.

The oinin's mask conveyed no emotion, though Naruto could feel both her terror and her anger.

"Jedi!" she spat from behind the mask.

Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other in confusion, not understanding the meaning of the word.

A whisper was all the warning they had as Zabuza's Kubikiri Hōchō flew at them. Both dodged out of the way, Sasuke diving into a roll that left him in a crouched position and Naruto leaping atop the blade, changing the Force grip to a throw, sending the oinin flying at Zabuza, his arm still outstretched from throwing the blade.

The blade embedded itself in a tree, forming a platform for Naruto to stand on. He looked back to see Zabuza reach up and grab the oinin's wrist, pulling her out of the air to land on her feet, silent as a whisper.

"Momochi Zabuza, the Kirigakure no Kijin, nukenin of Kirigakure," stated Sasuke, jumping away from the empty ground to land on a tree branch the same level as the blade on which Naruto stood.

"So you know who I am," said Zabuza, glaring at the pair. He looked sidelong at the female oinin beside him. "They're making these Knights younger than ever."

"We're not Knights," said Naruto, leaning on the tree.

"Sure... that Force grip and throw was pure coincidence. Of course you're a Knight!" said Zabuza, reaching out to where his blade was stuck.

Naruto was surprised when he felt the blade pull out of the tree of its own accord and felt the pull in the Force. "Force-users," he growled, drawing his chokuto before spinning it into a reverse grip as he leapt off the tree and charged, Sasuke alongside him.

Sasuke drew his hook swords and spun them in a figure eight, loosening up for battle. "I'll take the oinin, you disable the Kijin," he said, charging the oinin, blades swirling around him, the pattern simultaneously offensive and defensive.

Naruto nodded as they split up, his blade parallel to his arm, the blunt edge pressed against his shoulder so that when he would attack he could quickly whip it into a lightning fast underhand blow.

Zabuza smirked beneath his mask of bandages and swung his heavy blade in a horizontal arc, seeing how the cloaked boy would react, all ready preparing to smack the boy out of the air for when he tried to jump over the blade.

Naruto surprised him by dropping to his knees, avoiding the blade entirely and slid past the nukenin, attacking with his own horizontal arc. Zabuza smirked as he dodged, finally enjoying a fight. The last oinin he had fought had jumped over the blade and lost his head on the back-swing.

Springing back to his feet, Naruto and Zabuza crossed blades, Naruto's choukuto holding back the monstrous blade of Kubikiri Hōchō. They glared at each other over the blades, Zabuza's grey eyes meeting Naruto's blue eyes.

"We're not going back to the Temple," growled Zabuza, slowly forcing his blade closer to Naruto's head. "We'll die first, _Knight_!"

"I told you," said Naruto, halting Zabuza's blade, his eyes shifting to the crimson red they usually turned when he drew on Kyubi's chakra.

Naruto pressed his blade up, forcing Zabuza's up as well, leaving Zabuza's torso open to an attack, a fact which he took advantage as he planted a kick in Zabuza's solar plexus. Zabuza slid back a few feet, his blade resting on his shoulder as he held his stomach, gasping for breath.

"Not bad, Knight. Dun möch in combination with reverse Shien... haven't seen that combination for a long time."

Naruto disappeared, blurring out of existence only to reappear by his opponent's shoulder. He quickly placed the chokuto against his throat, almost hard enough to break the skin. "Surrender and take me to the girl you kidnapped," he growled, keeping Zabuza from retreating from the blade by holding the back of his neck in his other hand. "And I might not kill you."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," said Zabuza, turning his head to look the teen in the eyes. He began to chuckle as a mist began to swirl around his feet.

Zabuza pushed himself forward, slicing his throat open on the blade before turning to water. Naruto swore as he spun around, searching for Zabuza. _Damn that bastard. He used the Force to make it look like his mizu bushin was the real him. Now he's blocking me_, thought Naruto as he drew on the Force, attempting to pierce the fog Zabuza had placed on his seventh sense.

"Naruto!" yelled one cycloptic jonin, running into the fog where he had last seen his blond pupil, drawing a pair of kunai to help guard his back. Sakura ran at his side, a kunai clutched in her own fist as she charged into the fog, trying to find her Sasuke-kun.

Zabuza grinned as he threw his blade, letting it spin through the air in the direction of the jonin's yell, aiming to bisect him at the sternum. _Stupid move, Knights, revealing yor position like that_, he thought as his blade whirred towards the cloaked Knight's reinforcements.

Naruto heard the blade displacing air and immediately threw a Force push at his sensei and teammate, hoping to throw them to the ground so that the blade hidden in the mist would fly overtop of them.

Zbuza halted the push with one of his own, canceling out the telekinetic wave.

Kakashi ducked and rolled as he heard the blade, allowing it to fly overhead and embed itself in the trees behind him.

Naruto winced and cluthced at his chest as he felt a disturbance in the Force. _Something is not right…no!_

Zabuza noticed the avoidance of his blade and casually flicked his hand, sending Kakashi and Sakura careening into a tree. Kakashi hit the tree with enough force to knock him out, falling bonelessly to the ground, nearly falling on his own drawn kunai.

Sakura hit the ground with two thumps, her knees hitting the gorund first before slumping to the side. Her head rilled free, pink hair flying everywhere as her head tumbled about on the ground.

Naruto felt the anger rise within him, the Dark side whispering to him, taunting him, trying to make him call on it again so he could end the life of those who killed his friends.

A deep breath calmed Naruto enough to remove the temptaion of the Dark side, allowing him to focus on the fight at hand. Mourning could be done later.

Naruto focused, lowering his blade to his side as he listened for any whisper, for any movement on the air, a stray scent or movement that could be the precursor to an attack.

Zaubza crept around the boy, his blade ready to attack the boy Knight. He sent a wave of Force at Naruto then quickly jumped over him, placing behind him as Naruto caught the push with his own manipulation of the Force.

Zabuza sped at the Knight's unprotected back, drawing back the blade to diagonally bisect the teen.

The teen cloaked in sand colored clothes redirected the push, sending it towards Sasuke's fight. He then launched himself backwards, putting himself into stabbing range of Zabuza.

Zabuza winced as he felt white hot pain lance up from the right side of his stomach. Looking down, he saw the blade of Naruto's chokuto entering his body two inches above his right hip and exit through his back, almost hitting his kidney on the way through him. Blood leaked out of the wound and down the blade of the sword, pooling beneath their feet.

He felt a slight bit better as he saw that he wasn't the only one to take a hit. He had gotten in a blow as well.

Naruto turned his head, staring at the blade that was now biting into his shoulder with a slight grimace of pain. Zabuza had pulled in his blade at the last second, placing the small section of blade near the hilt on a collision course with Naruto's shoulder. The result was Naruto's collarbone being split in two and his scapula gouged along with severed muscles and tendons. His blood dripped down his chest and back, soaking his clothes with a deep red.

"Not bad, kid," said Zabuza, trying not to move lest he jostle the blade still through him.

"Sorry… gotta finish this," said Naruto, giving his chokuto a twist, causing Zabuza to flinch as the blade cut further into his flesh.

The second was all Naruto needed to pull out the blade, use his free hand to force Kubikiri Hōchō out of his shoulder, spin three hundred and sixty degrees and neatly cut the blade off the hilt of Kubikiri Hōchō.

The blade fell off the hilt and stuck itself point first in the ground.

Zabuza glared at the boy as he drew on the Force and quickly sealed his wound, sighing as the pain faded enough for him to move without constant agony. He then reached to the top of the handle and gave it a twist, separating a four inch piece from the rest of the hilt.

Naruto merely shrugged his shoulders, rolling his newly healed shoulder in preparation for whatever the nukenin could possibly do now that his blade was separated from its hilt.

A snap-hiss filled the air as a green blade sprang from the hilt.

"Fuck me," said Naruto, sheathing his chokuto.

Zabuza smiled as he thumbed a second switch on his saber handle. His blade extended from the normal one hundred and thirty-three centimeters to three hundred, giving Zabuza a hell of a reach.

"Fuck me sideways!" _How am I going to do this one?_

~_Get inside his attack range. A simple block at close range will allow us to attack much easier~_ said Kyubi, pacing in Naruto's mindscape with a saber twirling idly between his fingers. _That reminds me: why the hell am I not out there?_

Naruto mentally nodded to the fox as he activated his own saber, slipping back into the Shien stance.

Naruto and Zabuza charged, sabers crackling as they tangled and struck at each other, Naruto with his reversed Shien and Zabuza with his Niman.

They crossed blades, entering a saber lock with each glaring at the other over the red and green blades.

"Surely you can do better," mocked Naruto, grinning at the man as he casually pushed the green saber to the side and planted a second kick in the man's solar plexus.

Zabuza stumbled back, clutching his stomach and the now aggravated wound in his side, beginning to leak blood. _Healing was never my specialty_, thought Zabuza as he panted.

Zabuza charged, swinging the blade in wide arcs, never attacking at the same angle twice, his saber in continuous motion. Naruto smirked as he began to bat away the strikes, smirking as Zabuza began to lose his cool, his swings becoming wilder.

Zabuza took a hand off his saber hilt and unleashed an arc of lightning at the blonde, hoping this change in tactics might give him an edge.

Naruto raised his saber and caught the lightning on the fingers of his saber arm, stopping the lightning with barely a glance. As soon as Zabuza saw this, he cut off the electricity and swung his blade to guard his body, recognizing the ploy the teen was about to use.

Naruto hurled the accumulated lightning back at the nukenin, adding some of his own to boost the electricity. He smirked as Zabuza caught the Force-turned-lightning on his blade, momentarily blinding him from what Naruto was about to do.

Naruto deactivated his saber and focused on manipulating the Force. _This ends now!_

He tore the saber hilt from Zabuza's hand, flinging it away into the trees. He then caught Zabuza with a Force grip before slamming a fallen log into him, driving him into a tree. Zabuza fell to his knees; his chest feeling like it had barely survived a meeting with a sledgehammer. _Can't this kid lay off the stomach shots?_

Naruto then lifted him and dashed forward, using his momentum as he jumped to launch the both of them into the trees above. Zabuza landed back first, crashing into a tree branch. He slumped forward, an overwhelming feeling of agony keeping him from trying to focus his chakra or even break his fall.

Naruto, however, had other ideas, catching a branch with one hand and the shirt of Zabuza in the other, spinning around to slam Zabuza face first into another tree branch, further aggravating his wounds.

Zabuza was still reeling from the contact as he was pulled out of the impression he had made in the wood, flung down towards the ground and then accelerated to high speeds with the help of a Force push, effectively knocking him out as he slammed into the ground.

Naruto landed beside him and placed his sabers back into their seals.

"What took you so long?" he asked, not even looking at the battle weary Uchiha who was busy pulling senbon out of his right shoulder and chest.

"Shut up!"

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	17. Conflict, Aftermath and Plans

**I apologize for not updating sooner.**

**Does anyone know a site where I can find all the lines of dialogue in Dragon Age: Origins?**

**Also, please check out a new story of mine: Dragon Age Vexations, a self insert into DA:O inspired by _Mass Vexations, Mass Vexations 2 _and _Life on Thedas. _I'm getting quite depressed as it is getting fewr hits per month than my BladeXNaruto Xover.**

**Vote for pairings of the Naruto X LotR X-over on my profile. Poll ends April 2 around 10 PM.**

**Forests of Hi no Kuni…**

"How did he and Sakura know we were out here?" asked Naruto, carrying Kakashi over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He leaned him against a tree and lowered the unconscious jonin into a sitting position, the one-eyed ninja's head lolling loosely on his shoulders. "Did you say anything?"

"May I remind you that I was asleep when you came to pick me up from the complex?" asked Sasuke, sarcasm heavy in his voice. Naruto threw him a look as Kyubi started laughing his ass off.

_~He's got you there, ya blonde idiot.~_ chuckled the demon fox, an image of the yellow eyed, red haired human form appearing in Naruto's mind, his shoulders shaking with contained mirth.

"True… we'll find out when he wakes up," said Naruto tiredly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. _This should not have happened, Kyubi_, he thought, placing a hand on the scroll at his belt. The scroll now contained the body of Haruno Sakura, a girl who died before her time.

_~Kakashi shouldn't have called out like that... stupid idiot.~_ growled Kyubi, his mood turning grim as he began to pace in Naruto's mindscape. _~Furthermore, they never should have been here in the first place. There was a reason we didn't approach him or Sakura: Kakashi would go running to the Hokage and Sakura didn't have the experience for this mission.~_

_It's still my fault_, thought Naruto, shaking his head slowly.

_~We'll have time to mourn later, back when we're in Konoha and Hinata is safe.~ _said Kyubi. _~By the way, ask Sasuke about his fight. I want to hear about his experience fighting the 'ex-Jedi.'~_

"Hey, Sasuke? What did you think of this 'Haku's' fighting ability?"

Sasuke thought back to his fight as he applied iodine to the puncture wounds in his chest, wincing at the burn of the disinfectant before wrapping the injuries with some bandages.

"She was very good… very, _very_ good…"

**Sasuke's fight… **

Sasuke charged, putting his hook swords through a figure eight as he charged. His Sharingan blazed red between the flashes of mirror like steel, the oinin directly in front of him in a ready stance with senbon glittering between her fingers.

The woman flicked her arms in his direction, unleashing dual handfuls of senbon needles, trying to perforate the last Uchiha, aiming to hit points on his body that would limit his movement, making him easier to kill. _Damn Knights_, she thought, dodging as he deflected the senbon and slashed at her. _Two months since we left the Temple and they're still after us!_

Sasuke growled as he threw himself into an aerial, narrowly dodging more senbon that streaked to where his shoulders had been. He landed softly, almost catlike, before rolling forward at his opponent, trying to stab the woman with his razor sharp blades, his eyes allowing him to pinpoint where she would end up before she moved there.

The oinin cursed as she dropped three of the senbon she was holding in her right hand, using the single steel needle to block the stab, redirecting it past her to hit nothing but air.

Sasuke put pressure on his blade, trying to change the failed stab into a swing. His eyes widened as she resisted his attack, holding his blade at bay with a puny senbon. The sound of steel grinding filled the air as the two combatants fought to overpower the other.

"Not bad for a Knight," she spat, pushing his blade back an inch. "To bad you won't survive to report back to the Masters!"

"Not bad for an oinin… but you forgot my other sword!" growled Sasuke, smiling.

He whipped his arm around, aiming to split the oinin from crown to sternum. He could split the training logs back home with a little effort, so using a large amount of force would probably break a senbon in twain.

_Shit_, thought Haku as she raised her other hand to stop the blow before realizing the action was pointless. Her senbon would not withstand an assault of that magnitude. Making a split second decision, she thrust out her palm, invoking the Force to hurl the red eyed Knight into the air.

_What the fu…_went through Sasuke's mind as he slammed back-first into a tree, his swords slipping from his numbed fingers. He twitched in pain from his recent encounter with the natural fauna as he pulled himself into a crouch, casting his gaze about to find his swords. _She's got the same powers as Naruto. I wonder if she's got the same weapons…_

His musings was cut short as a trio of senbon impacted his chest, their points digging into his right pectoral. His blades were out of reach, several meters behind him, so he had little choice: he had to pull out his new weapon.

Haku's eyes widened behind her porcelain mask as the Knight before her pulled a saber hilt from his ninja pouch. _Damn… he wants to play rough_, she thought as she replaced her senbon.

With a snap-hiss, the hum of Sasuke's red lightsaber filed the air, the mist crackling as it brushed against the blade. He smirked as he glanced at the blade, thinking he had the upper hand. He looked back and rolled his eyes, knowing that he'd just screwed himself.

Haku smiled as she pulled her own saber from her belt, tossing the comforting weaight from her left to her right. She flicked the activator, igniting the pale blue blade that joined the hum from the Knight's crimson saber.

Sasuke charged with his blade in the one-handed Makashi style. It was his favorite, despite his amusement at the names, as it was made for single combat. Sasuke preferred to fight one on one whenever he had the chance, though that was rare.

He stopped in mid charge, however, as the oinin touched a second activation switch, igniting the blade on the other side of the handle. Eyes huge, he stared at the blue saber staff with a shocked look on his face.

What he was feeling was summed up with two words: "Oh, damn…"

Haku smiled as she began to spin the saber, making it hum and crackle dangerously as both ends trailed through the mist. _This duel is mine_, she though as she knew most Jedi had little experience with a double-bladed saber master.

Double-bladed Juyo was the hardest of the seven forms to master, resulting from the added danger of a second blade. Practitioners would start off with a staff to learn basic moves, evolve to the use of a training saber, and then finally build their own saber staff. This kept inexperienced users from losing a limb or two, as the saber staff was twice as dangerous as a normal saber.

Sasuke swallowed nervously. His Sharingan would give him an edge in the fight, his dojutsu allowing him to see the moves before they happened, though he was wary of the new development. _Naruto mentioned that there were many unique types of sabers… never thought I'd see one first time out_!

He raised his blade and attacked, slicing toward her head with a quick overhand slice, using the tip of the blade to strike rather than the rest of the blade since both parts cut the same way. This tactic allowed the user to launch attacks from extreme range, keeping him or her from harm by keeping them out of reach of their opponent's blade.

Haku blocked easily before countering with a savage underhand blow, making the Knight scramble to avoid the lethal edge of the other half of her saber. She pressed the attack, pushing him back against a tree as she continually used both sides of the saber staff.

Sasuke cursed as he raised his blade overhead, angling the blade down to put it parallel to his back, blocking a slash at his back. His momentary triumph was short lived as the oinin quickly performed a one-eighty and struck at his front with the other side of her saber staff, forcing him to move quickly to bring his own blade to block.

Their sabers flashed and crackled in the mist, throwing out bursts of light as the energy blades tangled and locked. Sasuke was hard pressed to defend himself, having to block twice as many attacks as the oinin twirled her saber staff with precision and skill.

_Damn… if Naruto didn't show me these forms, I wouldn't have lasted this long_, thought Sasuke, ducking a strike at his head.

Thinking quickly, Sasuke faked an overhand before twirling the saber into an upward arc, slicing the saber hilt in half, making one half short out and die. He grinned as he successfully executed one of the harder marks of contact Naruto had told him about.

Haku was surprised, to say the least, as she looked at the severed handles of her saber. _The bastard pulled a sun djem! Damn it! I spent two months building this thing_, she thought as she held the broken handle in her left and her still functioning blade in her right.

Her musings were cut short by a turning back kick to the stomach, giving her a small amount of airtime before she went slamming painfully into the ground.

Sasuke leapt over her in an almost aerial flip, twisting in midair to slash at the prone opponent. He frowned as his slash was blocked by the remaining saber the oinin held, forcing him to attack again as he landed.

Haku kip upped, avoiding the strike aimed at her neck. As soon as she was on her feet she threw herself forward, putting some space between her and her opponent. She heard the Knight growl as she felt rather than saw his crimson blade pass within an inch of her neck as he spun and delivered a second strike.

_My leap forward kept my head on my shoulders_, she thought as she turned to fight the Knight, who was already charging, his saber held in both hands now.

_Is he using…_ she trailed off as the Knight made an attack, he launched himself overhead, bypassing her readied blue saber to land behind her.

The oinin spun, bringing her lightsaber up horizontally to stop the heavy blow Sasuke was delivering. They locked sabers, Sasuke slowly pushing his saber towards her throat as she resisted. Sasuke, being of greater strength and height, slowly drove the oinin's saber back, bringing his closer to her throat.

In a bold move, one that Zabuza would have disapproved of, Haku took one hand off her hilt and thrust it in front of the Knight's face, using a Force push to launch him backwards. He rolled a few times, smacking his head hard before landing face down in the dirt beside one of the many trees, his deactivated saber hilt just in front of him, its kill switch shutting off the lethal blade.

"Not bad, Knight," said Haku, walking towards the downed warrior, her saber raised to deliver the final blow. "I'm sorry it had to end this way."

Sasuke smirked, his head still down as if stunned. _Her mind is focused on the fight, not the fact that I'm planning an ambush_, he thought, thinking back to a time when Naruto had sparred with him.

Sasuke thought his friend was crazy when he went as far as to blindfold himself, though somehow the blonde always knew whenever Sasuke was playing possum with him, despite his lack of vision.

Naruto explained that his control of the Force was good enough to allow him to sense intentions during a match, giving him something akin to a sense of battlefield omniscience. Even when Sasuke confronted him with various hidden kage bunshins, Naruto had known were every single one of them were, using the Force to give him a view of the battlefield uninhibited by camouflage or illusions.

Sasuke blanked his mind, as he did when Naruto had run out in the middle of the night, leaving to meet up with his Niwashi partner. Naruto hadn't sensed him that time, so Sasuke hoped it would work for her as well.

Haku raised her saber in both hands, preparing a strike to slice off the Knight's head. Before she could begin the downswing, she felt a disturbance in the Force.

Half turning, she looked over her shoulder, wondering why her senses were tingling, to find a gigantic Force push approaching at high speeds.

_Shit!_ thought Haku as she dropped her saber in surprise and hastily summoned her own Force power to counter the push.

Sasuke watched grimly as the oinin was shot through the air for an instant before slamming into the tree he laid by, the force of her impact shaking a few leaves loose from the branches above. _Thanks, Naruto, I owe you one!_

He got back to his feet, brushing the dirt from his clothing as he hooked his foot beneath the metal cylinder that was now his favorite weapon. A flick of his foot had the saber hilt flying up to shoulder level, allowing him to snag it out of the air.

Sasuke smiled as he held the warm hilt and thumbed the activation switch, unleashing his crimson blade once again. He turned to the oinin, preparing to finish the battle with what Naruto called a 'sai cha.'

The oinin struggled to pull herself into a sitting position, the impact on unyielding tree leaving her very dizzy, likely suffering from a concussion. Her mask fell from her face, the chakra she had been circulating to hold it in position now gone as her control was lost.

Sasuke froze as he looked upon her face, halting his saber in mid swing. Long black hair framed a delicate face, her brown eyes at half-mast. Her lip was bleeding, a trail of blood running down to her chin.

Sasuke couldn't complete the swing, something stopping him from ending the woman's life. He was confused by his reluctance, so he settled for deactivating his saber and pinching a nerve cluster in her neck, a move Naruto had shown him should the fan-girls overwhelm him.

The girl slumped, her breathing peaceful as she fell unconscious.

Sasuke wondered why he felt this way as he tied the girl's arms together at the wrists and elbows, just as his brother had taught him. _I'll have to speak to Naruto about this…_

**Present time…**

_~He's feeling the Force. Well, to a small extent, anyways…~_ said Kyubi through his mental link with his container. _~That's why he didn't kill this 'Haku.' It'll take a while for his power to fully manifest itself, though I sense he will be powerful, almost like you.~_

Naruto grinned as he relayed his info to Sasuke, whose eyes widened at the new info.

"I could do what you do?" he said in an awestruck voice, looking at his own hands with a inquisitive eye.

"Perhaps, given some training," said Naruto, chuckling as his brother attempted to use a Force push, imitating Naruto's movements from a demonstration he had given some time ago. "I said after some training, idiot. You're not going to use push or pull right away."

Sasuke opened his mouth to retort when a groan interrupted him.

Both Force users, experienced and not, turned towards their sensei, who seemed to be coming around, rubbing his head with one hand and his eyes with the other.

"Somebody get the number of that thing that hit me," he groaned, holding his head with both hands as his head began to pound. He looked up at his pupils, both of whom were glaring at the jonin. "What?"

"Why are you here, Hatake?" growled out Naruto, his eyes flashing red and his nails lengthening into claws as he walked over to the teacher.

Grabbing a handful of his teacher's flak vest, he pulled him to his feet, bringing him to eye level, crimson orbs boring into the one uncovered grey. "Why did you bring Sakura?"

Kakashi's eyes widened as he realized he didn't see Sakura among them, a quick look around confirming that. A feeling of dread filled him as he looked Naruto in the eye.

"Where is she?"

Naruto dropped him and pulled the scroll from his belt. Handing the scroll to him, he said, "She's in here."

Kakashi was silent for a moment before he slammed his fist into the tree he had been leaning against. A crack filled the air as one of the bones in his fist popped. As if pain did not affect him, he started slamming his fists into the tree, not reinforcing his limbs with chakra or limiting his power to protect his fists.

"Damn it!" he growled out as the skin on his fists was stripped away, blood flowing freely from his knuckles. A tear fell from his uncovered eye as he sank to his knees. "I should never have brought her along."

"Yes... you shouldn't have."

"Hello Kyubi," said Kakashi, nodding at the demon fox. He made as if to get up, though he quickly sat back down as his head started to throb painfully.

"Easy, Hatake. You're no good to us if you injure yourself further," said Kyubi, holding up his hand to forestall Kakashi's movements. "We'll give you some medical treatment once we're done with our interrogation."

At Kakashi's questioning look, Kyubi pointed to the two bound ninja. Kakashi raised his eyebrow as he recognized Zabuza, noting that he looked like he had been put through the wringer while his genin looked like they had gone through a stroll in the forest, although Sasuke had a little dirt on his clothing.

"Who fought the Kijin?"

Sasuke and Kyubi pointed at Naruto, who was whistling innocently as he leaned against a tree.

"Impressive..." said Kakashi, looking at Naruto with newfound respect. He opened his mouth to ask another question, but was interrupted by Sasuke.

"Kakashi-sensei, we have bigger issues than how Naruto took down Zabuza. We have to find out where they took Hinata."

Kakashi nodded as he stood, wincing as he brushed his knuckles against the rough tree bark. "You're right. Finding Hinata takes priority."

Naruto nodded as he and Sasuke walked over to the down shinobi. Kyubi dispelled himself, going back into the mindscape as to practice his forms for when he was needed.

Naruto delivered a kick to the nukenin's side, aiming just above his stab wound. The effect was instantaneous, Zabuza jerking awake with a shout filled with pain.

Haku awoke as soon as Zabuza screamed, throwing herself against her bonds in an attempt to defend her master. Sasuke ignited his saber and held the glowing blade at her throat, shaking his head in warning. She glared at him, her eyes filled with anger, but she stopped pulling at the ropes that bound her. Sasuke lowered his blade, thought kept it ignited. He hoped he didn't have to use it.

"Momochi Zabuza. Your reputation precedes you, Kirigakure no Kijin," said Naruto, pacing just out of reach of Zabuza's legs, his arms crossed with his saber hilts in hand.

"I would be lying if I said I knew of you, Jedi-scum," retorted Zabuza, conveying an anger-filled glare through his mask of bandages. "You're all the same, watching for that damned prophecy child."

"Ah, that prophecy thing my friends told me about. What exactly does it entail?"

Zabuza growled, straining his muscles against his bindings. Naruto raised an eyebrow as he heard the bindings groan in response. "How would you not know, Jedi? All Knights know of the prophecy."

Naruto crouched in front of him, spinning his saber hilts through his fingers as he looked into Zabuza's eyes. "I am not a 'Jedi,' nor am I a 'Knight.' I don't know what you are talking about."

Zabuza was silent for a few moments, using the Force to ascertain the truth. Naruto allowed Zabuza's mental touch, though he kept himself ready should the Force user choose to attack.

"Your words… seem truthful…" said Zabuza, looking at him with questioning eyes. "Who are you?"

"I am Namikaze Naruto, Sunagakure no Kijin, genin of Konohagakure."

Zabuza raised an eyebrow…well, acted as if he did. "The Kijin from Kaze no Kuni, eh? I've heard of you:

'Enter stranger, but take heed

Of what awaits the sin of greed.

If you take what you do not own,

You shall pay in blood and bone.

If you don't wish for idiocy's cure,

Beware the Kijin of Sunagakure.'

Zabuza chuckled as he recited the little poem he'd heard in a Kusagakure bar when he was meeting a client. A pair of bandits had just arrived from Kaze and was relaying the message to all the other bandits in the tavern, telling stories of how a man who decimated bandit groups as they attacked caravans. His blades glowed red as his eyes, causing sandstorms with a wave of his hand and tossing A-rank nukenin around like nothing.

Zabuza had not given it much thought, thinking the men were still scared of every shadow. Frightened men were prone to exageration.

"That's you, isn't it?"

Naruto nodded the affirmative; chuckling to himself about the sad little poem he had created on the spot to scare the bandits.

Zabuza looked over to Haku, noting that she was trying to work her way out of her bonds. "Haku, we have no quarrel with these men any longer."

Haku nodded, ceasing her struggles, though she kept a glare on her face as she watched Sasuke.

Naruto nodded to Sasuke as he ignited his black saber, quickly slicing through the rope that kept Zabuza tied to the tree. Sasuke did the same, his blade a crimson arc as he freed Haku.

"We have no fight with you, Kijin, so we ask that you let us go," said Zabuza, picking up the blade of Kubikiri Hōchō and slipping it onto his back. He stuck the lightsaber hilt in his belt along with the small damaged section that would have connected blade to hilt.

"We need to know where they would have taken my friend," said Naruto, an edge to his voice as he glared at the nukenin. "Where would they take the supposed 'Child of the Prophecy'?"

Zabuza pointed north-east. "The Jedi Temple, about fifty miles that way. All the Knights live there, so don't expect a rescue mission to be easy, especially if they have the true prophesized one."

Zabuzae made as if to jump away, though stopped and turned back to Naruto. "The Jedi Knights were the protectors of Nami no Kuni for a thousand years. They have had years to refine their arts, master their saber forms, and control the Force. They are not enemies to engage lightly."

"We will rescue our comrade."

"Then may the Force be with you, Kijin." With a nod to Kakashi and Sasuke, Zabuza and Haku walked into the forest, heading north-west as to bypass Konoha.

Sasuke let out a sigh as the pair disappeared, breathing easy now that the two potential enemies were gone. "Well, we have our heading. What should we do now?"

Naruto sat down and leaned against a tree, drawing a whetstone and his chokuto. With a rasp of stone on steel, he said, "We need a plan. We can't just waltz in and demand Hinata back."

Kakashi nodded as he sat by Naruto, bandaging his knuckles. "So… what do we do?"

"I have an idea, if you're willing to hear it_._" said Kyubi, a plan springing to mind.

**A minute later…**

Kakashi took a few calming breaths before looking Kyubi in the eye. "You. Are. Insane! This will never work!"

Sasuke nodded, agreeing with his sensei's apt description of Kyubi and his plan. "This is suicide!" he added, flipping the saber hilt in his hand. "We can't possibly get that to work."

They both turned to Naruto, who was still looking at the plans Kyubi had drawn out in the dirt. He looked up with a small grin on his face, the details for amendments to the plan finally clicking in his mind.

Sasuke and Kakashi felt a shiver of fear as Naruto's grin widened, forming that feral smirk they learned to be very afraid of.

"Let's do it."

**Next time: Kyubi's plan and the Assault on the Temple. A virtual cookie to whomever can guess whats going to happen.**

**(Hint) Youtube is a wonderful thing.**


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